Casinos can be found all over the world, and their presence attracts plenty of locals as well as tourists all year round. Casinos are some of the top choices for people looking to kick back and have a pleasant experience away from the troubles of everyday life. Goa in particular is very well known for its plethora of casinos, giving people a lot of choice when it comes to selecting a top outlet for leisure and relaxation.
The casino business in Goa has been a very positive inclusion for tourism and is often a layer of tourist attraction that goes overlooked. It is a mutual relationship, where casino operators benefit considerably from tourism and tourism benefits from the casinos. In this article, we will explore how Goa casinos benefit Indian tourism in several different ways.
Casinos in Goa
Unlike other countries across the globe, the state has not incorporated official regulatory policies for casinos currently in operation, even though Goa has half a dozen casinos located offshore and a dozen located onshore through various hotels. The Goa offshore casinos are located in the Mandovi.
At the moment, there are only a small handful of states in India that permit casinos to operate, this includes Sikkim, Daman, and of course Goa. There is speculation that Visakhapatnam will be one of the states to be included in the permit in the near future, but only time will tell.
In Sikkim, Casino Mahjong and Casino Sikkim are the two casinos in operation. Goa currently features ten casinos, with six of them being onshore and a further four based offshore. The four offshore casinos are ‘floating’ casinos that are found on the Mandovi River and include Casino Pride, Casino Deltin Royale, Casino Pride 2, and Casino Deltin Jaqk.
By the Public Gambling Act of 1976 in Daman, Diu and Goa, casinos are only permitted to operate either within five-star hotels or via vessels located offshore with express permission provided by the government before their establishment.
Goa has become a hotspot for casino tourism in the country as it continues to grow. There are various ways tourists hear about the location and want a taste of the action, usually via several holiday packages offered directly through the state. Goa is considered to be a spot ripe with natural beauty with sun and sandy beaches for those wanting a little extra out of a casino tourism experience. The casinos in operation in Goa also house a lot of different games and entertainment to give their customers a wide range of choice, as well as dining experiences.
The only downside currently bothering the casino tourism business is the lack of regulation from the state. The same can be said for online casinos that are available in India. The current laws are far from black or white.
There are now plenty of calls for the Goa state to implement proper regulation to protect customer interests, as well as the casinos themselves and their employees. Proper regulation of casinos would certainly be in line with other countries around the world that offer strict regulation of gambling through official bodies.
Benefits to Increased Tourism
Frequenting casinos is often a number one pastime for people nowadays and the allure of taking vacations to visit some of the top casinos in the state is optimal for tourism. Casino tourism injects an entirely new flow of visitors and interest in the state and can bring in more economic growth and employment opportunities for the local area.
Economic Growth
Just like with other forms of more conventional tourism, casino tourism also induces economic growth. This is a major feature that often goes unnoticed as people tend to associate economic growth in other areas, but the increase in casino tourism has had an impact.
Casino tourism tends to impact public revenue as tourists will incur fees and taxes when they choose to play at a given casino. The gradual flow of visitors, be it foreign, domestic or even local, can be good ways for more cash to flow through the businesses and as such generate more revenue in the surrounding area. The more that is being spent at these casinos might mean that other businesses will benefit as well.
Employment Opportunities
With the obvious increase in demand for casinos to maintain the flurry of tourists flooding their halls and their tables, there will also be further demands for jobs and employment opportunities. With unemployment being a major issue for a lot of states and countries, the chance for the industry to offer further employment opportunities should only be welcomed with open arms.
Casinos will require a whole range of occupations to be filled, from the usual gaming staff members and security personnel to tech support, kitchen staff and waiters for those casinos offering dining experiences, and overall management opportunities. The casino business and the pressure put on them from casino tourism have meant good things for employment in a general sense for the surrounding areas. It is hard to say whether the casinos themselves have introduced employment opportunities directly and exclusively for the people living in the local areas, and it is not really feasible to find out.
Furthermore, the increase in tourism has also increased the demand for hotels and taxi services, creating more work for other industries in the surrounding communities. An additional feature to the operation of casinos has been the inevitable increase in many other occupations and businesses, such as hospitality services, retail, and entertainment opportunities. For casinos offering live entertainment for their customers as well as the chance to gamble, this gives entertainment companies and individual acts more opportunities to book gigs and events. And with more recognition, the entertainment business should not be short of future work, especially if other casinos in the area wish to book them.
All of this, of course, does wholly depend on the type of customers that visit the casinos. Tourists are not just foreign travellers but can also be domestic tourists from different parts of the state, and also local people who live close to the casinos.
