By IANS,
Panaji : Nearly 3.5 lakh gamblers and gambling enthusiasts hit the offshore and onshore casinos in Goa over the last two-and-a-half years, government statistics show.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly in a written answer Monday that the six operational offshore casinos in Goa saw over 1.30 lakh guests, while the dozen-odd onshore casinos saw 2.07 lakh entrants.
Parrikar, who is also looking after the finance portfolio, said the Goa government earned Rs.18.24 crore from entry fees from offshore casinos, while Rs.11.50 crore were netted from onshore casinos in several five-star resorts in the state.
Goa is the only state in the country to have licensed casinos. However, public outrage against the hi-tech gambling arenas has forced the Goa government to propose a ban on the entry of local residents into casinos. The ban is expected to come into force during this financial year.