In India, the government for the small state of Goa has reportedly published draft legislation that could fundamentally alter the local gambling landscape by forcing the area’s many riverboat casinos to relocate to a newly-created ‘gaming cluster.’

Changes intended to help:

According to a story from Asia Gaming Brief citing a Saturday report from the online news domain at Glaws.in, the relocation proposal is just one of many policy measures being floated by officials in hopes of helping the former Portuguese enclave to boost its entertainment and leisure industries.

Mandovi River move:

Asia Gaming Brief reported that all of Goa’s riverboat casinos are currently required to stay within the Mandovi River but that the suggested relocation plan would see these facilities moved to a Las Vegas-style development where they could offer a range of slots and table games without the need to be affiliated with an existing five-star hotel.

Coming consideration:

Glaws.in explained that the draft legislation, which is to be discussed at a special January 16 meeting chaired by Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar (pictured), also suggests divesting the assets of the state-run Goa Tourism Development Corporation in favor of establishing the Goa Tourism Board before giving this newly-formed body the powers to implement future policies and monitor compliance.

Possible local prohibition:

Other changes included in the suggested legislation reportedly include a ban on locals entering any Goan casino while maintaining the existing restriction on land-based hotels offering slots.

As if all this wasn’t enough, the proposed legislation moreover reportedly advocates bringing more golf courses to the state of some 1.4 million people with applications set to considered based on ‘best practices to limit the negative impacts on the environment.’