Delta Corp Limited has been granted permission by the state government of Goa to shift its Deltin Caravela riverfront casino.
Delta Corp sought to shift the casino after the vessel on which the casino was run, experienced pitching and rolling at its current location due to tidal conditions. It caused physical discomfort to gamblers with some even vomiting. It was also causing problems with bringing passengers on board and during their disembarking.
In its initial application for launching the casino, Delta Corp had sought a spot on the Panaji side of Mandovi at a bank inhabited by the Betim community, but its application was turned down, which forced it to anchor it at the current location.
Confirming on development, Goa’s Minister of Ports Michael Lobo said,
I have cleared the file, and the order has been issued by the government allowing a change in the location of Deltin Caravela.
Delta Corp runs 3 of the 6 floating casinos currently operating on the Mandovi River. The other two floating casinos run by Delta Corp on the Mandovi River are Deltin Royale and Deltin Jaqk.
There is resentment among the locals who have held protests against these floating casinos. It is because a floating casino is like an island. The locals do not benefit in any way from it. The high-flyers who can afford to play in such casinos are provided lodging and boarding facilities by the casino, which will also offer facilities like swimming pools, etc. where they can spend their days and the nights are, of course, spent in the casinos.
The Goan government has announced plans to shift the floating casinos from Mandovi River to downstream sites in Aguada Bay or even at permanent locations near the Airport but has not yet acted on them.
