Goa casino conducted live card games without permission; 9 tourists, 2 staffers arrested

An email was sent to the casino seeking their comment on the case, but it remained unanswered at the time of publication.

Published on: Aug 6, 2025, 18:01:50 IST

By Gerard de Souza

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PANAJI: The Goa police arrested 11 people, including nine tourists, for playing card games at a “casino” in north Goa’s Candolim that was only licensed to conduct “games of electronic amusement or operate slot machines”, police said on Wednesday.

The accused were arrested and subsequently released on bail, police said (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Two staff members of the casino, “Puppy’s Casino Gold”, were also arrested. They were identified by the police as shift manager Clifford Mendonça, and Sahil Sawant, who was working as a dealer. The 11 accused were released on bail soon after their formal arrest.

It is unclear whether the police have taken any action against the casino’s management.

An email was sent to the casino seeking their comment on the case, but it remained unanswered at the time of publication.

According to the police, the accused were caught operating and playing a game of chance known as ‘Andhar Bahar’.

According to the Goa Gambling Act, licensed offshore casinos can conduct live games, including card games. But onshore casinos located within five-star hotels can only conduct games of electronic amusement or slot machines.

Superintendent of police Rahul Gupta said the accused were placed under arrest and subsequently released on bail.

The raid by the state’s crime branch follows a secretly recorded video clip of the casino conducting live card games in violation of the law.

Police said the guests were from Delhi, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Equipment and cash worth ₹35 lakh were seized from the spot.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gerard de Souza
Gerard de Souza is a Special Correspondent based in Goa and has been reporting on and about issues concerning the state and the wider western coast of India for over 18 years. His wide range of stories covers politics, crime, environment and tourism-related concerns emerging from India’s smallest state. Born and brought up in Goa, he has a deep understanding of the former Portuguese enclave’s evolution from a laidback collection of idyllic villages that first drew flower power generation of counter culture enthusiasts to its shores to one that has become synonymous in Indian popular culture with an aspirational holiday, seeing the best (and worst) that holidayers have to offer. He also keenly follows criminal trials. Most notably, he covered the trial surrounding the killing of Scarlett Keeling, a British teenager found dead on Anjuna beach, and that of Danielle McLaughlin similarly killed in south Goa, among others. He authored the book ‘Crimes of Passion: When Desire Turns Deadly,’ chronicling cases of romance turning to rage and murder. A graduate of Goa University, he learnt the trade on the job and has experience on both the reporting and editorial sides of the profession. When not sniffing around for a worthy headline, he likes to spend time outdoors to help ensure his heart is always in the right place.Read More

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