Panaji: Several years after Goa legalized offshore and onshore casinos, the state is still operating without fully finalized rules to regulate them under the Goa Public Gambling Act, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday.

Responding to questions from MLA Aleixo Lourenco during the winter session of the Goa Assembly, Sawant noted that while the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes was appointed as the Gaming Commissioner in January 2020, the detailed rules governing casino operations under the Act are still under final review by the law department.

“As the Goa Public Gambling Rules are yet to be finalized, casino operations continue to be processed in accordance with the parent Act and its amendments, along with terms and conditions prescribed under the government notification issued in November 1995 and amended from time to time,” the chief minister explained.

Sawant highlighted that the role and powers of the Gaming Commissioner, including oversight of casino activities, currently operate under the statutory provisions of the Act and the existing government notifications. Once the rules are formally notified, the framework will provide specific mechanisms to monitor casino clients, their sources of funds, player expenditures, issuance of entry tickets, and maintenance of visitor records.

The chief minister further clarified that the Gaming Commissioner has been appointed to exercise control over gambling activities in designated areas, and the regulatory framework continues under the existing legal provisions until the new rules come into force.

On the operational front, Sawant said that licenses have been issued to six casinos in the state for conducting live gaming, while enforcement action has been taken against onshore casinos found to be operating illegal live gaming activities. Between 2022 and 2025, a total of five cases were registered against such violations.

He emphasized that no relaxation has been granted under the Goa Public Gambling Act, 1976, for conducting live gaming in land-based casinos, reaffirming that all casino operations are regulated under the Act, and violations are addressed in accordance with the law.

The chief minister’s statements underline the ongoing challenge in Goa: while casino operations have been permitted for years and a Gaming Commissioner is in place, a complete and updated regulatory framework is still pending, leaving many operational details governed by older notifications and the existing Act.

Sawant’s remarks also indicated that the state government is taking steps to ensure compliance within the current legal framework while awaiting the final vetting and notification of the detailed rules by the law department.