The Goa government on Wednesday said that the off-shore casinos currently anchored at Mandovi river would have to be relocated before March 2027.

Briefing press persons after chairing the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said this is the last extension for such floating places offering social amusements in the state.

The state government has been renewing the extensions granted to the off-shore casinos, which are a big tourist attraction, after every six months. The CM said there would be no more such extension to the casinos, allowing them to be in Mandovi, after March 2027.

The successive governments in Goa have been under pressure to relocate the casinos off the Goa coast, which is mandatory as per the licences granted to them. An off-shore casino must operate beyond a certain distance, about five nautical miles, from the seafront.

Goa has five off-shore casinos in Mandovi river and almost a dozen in different five-star hotels.

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