Originally planned 1,200 gaming positions
Delta Corp., the largest casino operator in India, has filed a petition in Bombay’s High Court asking the union territory of Daman and Diu to finally grant a casino license to its five-star Hotel Deltin in the region.
According to Asia Gaming Brief, Delta subsidiary Daman Hospitality Private Ltd. filed a writ asking for the license to be awarded under the Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act of 1976. Delta opened the 176-room property in March 2014. The license hinged on receipt of a five-star certification for the hotel; that designation was granted in August of that year. But the casino floor continues to gather dust as the company waits for a gaming license.
Delta also operates casino ships in the waters off Goa, has a casino in Sikkim and offers an online “skill-gaming” business that includes the Adda52 poker site. AGB reported that a casino at the Hotel Deltin could be “a key revenue driver” for the operator and could “reshape gambling in India as the first onshore luxury IR.”
Daman is the sole Indian region besides Goa and Sikkim to have approved casino legislation. Unlike the other two, it has not yet authorized any gaming activities, CalvinAyre.com reported. In April 2017, Delta’s stock took a dive when reports circulated that Daman and Diu were considering merging with the neighboring state of Gujarat, which bans gambling as well as alcohol sales.
Delta originally envisioned its Daman property hosting up to 1,200 gaming positions, the news outlet reported. Delta, which recently celebrated its 10th birthday, is India’s only publicly listed gaming operator.
