Casinos in the Indian states of Goa and Sikkim reopened November 1, after being closed since March 14 due to Covid-19. Announcing the news, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said, “From November 1, we have given the casinos permissions to start. They will have to follow all the SOPs as will be issued to them by the Home Department and with 50 percent capacity they can start. We need to promote tourism activity.”
The state’s six offshore casinos plus those located inside five-star hotels will be allowed to pay their annual fees on a monthly basis instead of a lump sum.
The nation’s largest gaming operator, Delta Corp, recently posted a loss of $3.8 million for the second quarter of 2020. Nationwide, revenue for the three months dropped 68.5 percent to $8.1 million; that total would have been larger but it was offset by a 60 percent increase in online gaming revenue. Delta Corp operates the online poker site Adda52.com, online rummy site Adda52rummy.com and online fantasy sports site LeagueAdda.com.
Delta Corp recently announced it had acquired a 45 percent stake in the Indian shipyard that built its Casino Royale offshore casino. In September, the state’s offshore casinos received another 6-month extension to operate on the River Mandovi. Six years ago, the government announced all offshore casinos would be relocated onshore but no action has been taken yet.
