The state of Andhra Pradesh in southeast India has received six proposals for casino projects. To advance the process, the state would have to amend the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act, 1974, which prohibits gambling.
According to Asia Gaming Brief, a non-resident Indian (NRI) is looking at a site on an island in the Krishna River, while a Malaysian firm and a Goa company have also expressed interest.
The NRI was named as Siva Prakash Bobba, who said his plans are in tune with a government masterplan to create a replica of Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa’s theme park on Bhavani island, which has scores of sub-islands, with a total area of over 130 acres.
Meanwhile in Goa, a long-stalled plan to relocate casino cruise ships off the Mandovi River to a site near Mopa International Airport seems to be in place. Ports Minister Michael Lobo has reiterated that offshore casinos will ultimately be relocated to near the airport, which is under construction.
“Once the Mopa airport work starts, we will give the casinos a time period of four years, five years or six years to get land there and shift on ground,” Lobo was cited as saying at the State Secretariat on Wednesday.
He added the state government was working on a policy to regulate the casino industry, which will probably be published within six months.
