During a discussion regarding online gambling reports in the state on Wednesday, July 26, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told that he is looking at the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling Act as a way to curb similar illegal activities in Goa.

The issue of these illegal gambling outlets was raised by opposition leader Yuri Alemao on the seventh day of the ongoing Legislative Assembly session.

As per Bhaskar Live, Alemao said, “Youth are falling prey to online gaming and commit suicide when they go in loss. There should be a crackdown on illegal online gaming. These illegal activities are taking place in every constituency of the State.”

He further told that these activities are not happening in Canacona constituency represented by Ramesh Tawadkar, and the government should ask for his help on curbing these illicit activities. He also claimed that transactions worth 30 crore are occurring daily.

Responding to Alemao, CM Sawant said, “I will ask the officials to study the Tamil Nadu Act and if needed then we will think in that manner. But before that, I assure strict action will be taken on kiosk running (illegal casino) machines. These cases are mostly in the coastal belt. In rural areas people use mobile.”

The police is currently raiding these illegal casinos, according to Sawant. “By July this year seven cases were registered, and some accused persons were arrested,” Sawant added. He is also looking at ways similar to what Tamil Nadu have enacted.

Alemao also asked the state government to keep track of who is operating these illegal casinos and online gaming apps. He asked for the government to curb these activities as soon as possible, telling that the government should not play with the innocent’s lives.

Jumping in on the discussion, AAP MLA Venzy Viegas and Congress MLA Altone D’costa also took the chance to ask the state government to remove hoardings promoting online gaming.