The popular entertainment hub of India, Goa, will soon get another addition on its list of local enticements. It will be a grand casino to be opened by Playwin, India’s biggest online lottery company and gaming brand worth Rs 3,400 crore. It is learnt that the Playwin casino operation will be the state’s biggest and would be sprawled over an area of 20,000 sq ft.

 

The Goa casino to be set up by Playwin will aim at not only Indian customers, but also international ones heading for those in Nepal, Macau and Thailand. The new Goan casino, however, will not be without competition for long. It is said that Venetian Macau, the leading casino player of Macau is also planning to hit the shores here very soon.

 

Infact, reliable sources reveal that by 2009 many international casino operators will come to India through collaborations or franchisee despite stringent decrees. Lotteries add to the state exchequer massively. At present the Indian gambling industry is estimated to be worth Rs 25,000 crore. The game turns murky when taxes on high betting cause people to resort to illegal betting. As such, alongside legal gambling there also exists an equally huge illegal gambling sector.

 

A major hitch the players of the gambling industry point out is the state’s judgment to ban lotteries and this depends a lot on which political party is holding sway. But it seems the Playwin people have found their way around this restriction too. No wonder they are too eager to introduce the dice system instead which means no taxes and no Government hassles. Not to mention, that it will also serve to hitch up the Macau-bound wealthy Indian customers.