Congress Questions the Plan to Set Up Casinos at New Airport in Goa

The Congress party in Goa has questioned the government’s decision to set up casinos at the proposed international airport at Mopa, North Goa.

Pramod Sawant, the Chief Minister of Goa, recently said in the State Assembly that the proposed greenfield airport will have casinos, besides hotels and other facilities in it.

GMR International has won the contract to built and operate this airport, which would be the second such facility in the state once commissioned in 2021.

Digambar Kamat, the Leader of Opposition, said that the Gambling Act does not allow casinos to be set up at an airport.

“The Goa Gambling Act defines where casinos can be operated in the state. So far, there is nothing in the Act that allows casinos to be set up at the airport. I don’t know how the government signed with the concessioner that casinos would be allowed at the airport. That is the fundamental question,” Kamat said.

The LoP said he would raise this question in the ongoing monsoon session of the Assembly. Apart from casinos, hotels of various categories, eco-adventure, and wellness resorts, as well as a shopping plaza would be constructed at the airport, he had said.