Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday assured the House that all pending dues from casinos would be recovered by the state government.
Responding to a question tabled by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, Sawant said that some of the dues pending with casinos could not be recovered due to various cases filed by them in courts.
As per the data tabled on the floor of the House, there are 15 onshore casinos in the state.
The Chief Minister stated that the government will recover the maximum revenue from these casinos by March 31, 2025.
“The rest of the revenue will be collected once cases are disposed of. We will ensure that 100% of the revenue is collected from these casinos within three months of the disposal of the cases,” he said.
Raising the issue in the House, Alemao pointed out that the pending revenue from various casinos amounts to ₹350 crore, out of which ₹110 crore is stuck due to court cases.
The LoP questioned why these dues remain unpaid by casinos, while the state government does not spare common citizens if they fail to pay their dues.
Speaking on the issue, Alemao and Congress MLA Altone D’Costa alleged that live gaming is taking place in onshore casinos, even though it is prohibited.
Alemao added that live gaming is happening in onshore casinos, some of which are located just one kilometre away from the Legislative Assembly Complex, where the session is currently underway.
The Chief Minister assured that he will instruct the concerned officials to inspect the casino premises.
Sawant further said that in the past, four cases were registered against onshore casinos, which are currently under investigation.
