Maharaja casino

Jul 29,

Goa is one of the few states in India where gambling is legal. Casinos in Goa can be found on boats anchored in the Mandovi River, and onshore in some upmarket hotels. Most of the action, with live tables, takes place on the floating casinos -- which are entertainment destinations within themselves. By law, onshore casinos can only have electronic games.

The offshore casino market is dominated by the Deltin Group and the Pride Group. Deltin's modern and classy casinos have higher entry fees and focus on a niche segment. They're particularly popular with players of western games. The Pride Group, with lower entry fees, caters more to the masses and the Indian market.

The Pride Group also operates two small onshore casinos -- Casino Palms (at the La Calypso hotel in Baga) and Casino Paradise (at the Hotel Neo Majestic in Pororvim). However, these casinos are more suited to habitual gamblers than tourists.

Maharajah Casino by Big Daddy

Big Daddy Casino, owned by Golden Globe Hotels, is Goa's newest offshore casino. It launched in May and aims to give some serious competition to the Deltin Royale. The casino describes itself as the “biggest and most modern offshore gaming destination in Asia” with gaming equipment on par with Las Vegas and Macau. It is a 50, square foot MV Lucky Seven boat that has three levels of gaming with tables, gaming positions, and automatic machines. One of the floors is solely for high rollers, with a VIP gaming room and "no-limits" tables where there's no cap on the stakes. There's also an entertainment zone, gourmet multi-cuisine restaurant, bar, cigar lounge, barbecue area, sundeck, and children's play area. The entertainment includes live dance performances, live musicians and bands, DJs and international artists, and celebrity appearances. The casino is expected to be particularly popular with Indian gamblers due to its extensive range of India-specific games.