New Delhi (NVI): The Goa government today decided to allow reopening of casinos in the state from November 1, with strict COVID-19 restrictions.
Addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said, “Casinos will start operations from November 1 onwards. We have given them permission.”
“All casinos will have to follow all the standard operating procedures (SOPs) as issued to them by the state home department. They will have to operate with 50 per cent of their capacity. As, we need to promote tourism activity,” the chief minister said.
He added that the casino operators will have to pay the license fees before resuming operations.
The casinos have been shut in the coastal state since the coronavirus outbreak in March. At present, there are six operational offshore and around a dozen onshore casinos in Goa.
However, the state government earlier permitted various commercial and tourism activities to restart in the state to get the economy back on track.
So far, Goa has recorded 42,747 coronavirus cases, while the death toll stands at 585 in the coastal state.
-RJV
