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Goa has introduced new restrictions on casino access and updated rules on licence fee payments as the Indian state expands regulatory oversight of an industry that generated more than INR17.49 billion ($181.2 million) in licence fees and related charges between April 2021 and February 2026.
Under amendments notified by the state’s Home Department, people below the age of 21 are prohibited from entering designated casino gaming areas. The rules, which took effect immediately, apply to six offshore casino vessels operating on the Mandovi River and 17 onshore casinos located within five-star hotels.
Goa has 23 casino licences in operation and, alongside Sikkim, is one of only two Indian states where casino gaming is legally permitted. The revised framework requires gaming operations to be limited to segregated, access-controlled sections of licensed properties.
A designated licensed area is defined as a partitioned and restricted-access space within a five-star hotel or offshore casino vessel where a licence holder may install and operate electronic gaming machines, slot machines or table games.
The amendments also impose an annual penal interest rate of 18% on outstanding recurring licence fees. The charge will continue to apply until operators clear the overdue amount.
The enforcement change comes as Goa attempts to recover about INR3.5 billion ($36.3 million) in unpaid casino revenue. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told the Goa Legislative Assembly that approximately INR1.1 billion ($11.4 million) of the total is tied up in court cases.
He said recovery efforts were continuing and warned that casino properties could be seized if operators failed to settle their outstanding payments.
In March, Goa proposed a 200% increase in charges for new casino licences, along with higher annual licence fees and increased application and renewal charges. The proposals also called for substantially higher fees for transferring onshore and offshore casino licences.
The state has also approved new gambling rules and proposed establishing a Gaming Commissioner position to supervise casino operations and regulatory compliance. At the same time, Goa’s offshore casino sector remains subject to legal scrutiny.
Earlier this month, the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court extended an interim stay preventing a proposed new offshore casino vessel from entering Panaji Port until at least August 18, 2026.
The dispute concerns whether the vessel has secured all statutory certifications and approvals required to operate on the Mandovi River. It is intended to replace an existing offshore casino but is being challenged by the local citizens’ group Enough is Enough, which has raised concerns about further expansion of offshore casino operations in Goa.
The High Court is expected to review additional submissions and regulatory documents when the case returns for a hearing in August.