Goa Casino Operators Seek License to Start Casinos in Vishakhapatnam

While legal battles on Poker continue to rage in the country’s courts, the game is slowly, but steadily sweeping across the nation.

Casino operators are now eying the coastal city of Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh (AP). Vizag as it is popularly called is known for its magnificent beaches and attracts huge foreign tourist crowds. Because of this, Vizag is also known as the “Goa of the East.”

A recent article from the Deccan Chronicle reports that Goa casino operators have applied to the Andhra Pradesh government for licenses to set up casinos in the port city.

In India, Goa, Sikkim and Daman are the only states that legally allow gambling. Of these, Goa accounts for 95% of gambling revenue, with a huge influx of foreigners. The 20 odd casinos in Goa provide more than ₹100 crores in taxes to the government.

Currently players from AP travel to Goa to quench their thirst for gambling and estimates say they spend almost ₹70 crores annually.

Casino operators are no doubt targeting these players, besides the already visiting foreign crowds in Vizag. The state government affirmed the applications had been made and stated that it was yet to decide about the same.

According to the DC Correspondent, a Cabinet Minister stated that, “No doubt casinos will help develop tourism in Vizag and attract foreigners, but we need to take the sentiments of the locals also into consideration before giving the go ahead.

If allowed, the coastline of Vizag will soon be as glamorous as the western one of Goa. Vizag beach already serves liquor through small shacks and makeshift beer bars. In fact, Ayyana Parudu, a Panchayat Raj minister had earlier argued for opening up an exclusive liquor zone for foreigners along the beach.

Keep watching this space for all the latest updates on this story.