Golden Play Pvt Ltd., a subsidiary of Mumbai-based Golden Gaming and Lottery Group on December 13 acquired a provisional license to set up a 12,000 square-foot casino at it`s five-star hotel D’Wang Residency located in the Deorali area of Gangtok.

The provisional license will allow the company to set up the necessary infrastructure for commencement of casino games in the hotel and is valid for a period of six months. The company will have to set up the necessary casino infrastructure and apply for a permanent or ‘go live’ license within the validity period.

Golden Play Director Manoj Sethi revealed that the company’s plans to start the casino operations by April 2018.

Sethi further clarified that the company has decided to expand into live casino gaming after the success of its online operations in the state. Talking about the same, he said, “After receiving a good response to the online gaming and sports betting operations that we started in Sikkim in 2015, we have decided to operate a five-star hotel and 12000 square feet casino in Hotel D’Wang Residency, in the heart of Gangtok. This will enable us to offer live casino games to our patrons as well, in addition to the online sports betting and gaming services that are already being offered.”

Golden Gaming will become the fourth casino in the state apart from Deltin Casino in the WelcomHeritage Denzong Regency, Casino Mahjong in the Mayfair Resort and Royal Plaza Hotel’s Casino Sikkim.

Future plans to branch out

Sethi also revealed the company’s plans to branch out to Nepal and other territories. He added that they are waiting for Nepal authorities to complete the licensing formalities and are eyeing to start operations in Nepal by the first half of 2018.

He stated, “As part of our growth strategy, we would also be expanding in other states and territories where casinos are permitted. We are going to start a casino in Nepal- in the Hotel Cygnett Inn Krishna in Nepalgunj area, which is close to the Uttar Pradesh border and around 180 kilometers from Lucknow.”

Golden Gaming had launched their digital gaming and sports betting operations in Sikkim last year. Their only rival i.e. Essel Group’s EGT Entertainment has already shut its virtual horse-racing, keno and online gaming operations in the state due to commercial difficulties.