All casinos plus hotels, bars, restaurants and tourism facilities have been ordered closed after the Goa government declared a complete four-day lockdown to halt a devastating outbreak of COVID-19.
The southern Indian state recorded 2,110 new cases on Thursday – part of the record 379,308 cases nationwide that have seen the country’s hospitals unable to keep up with demand.
In Goa, which has seen 1,086 deaths since the start of the pandemic, the total lockdown will remain in place for four days initially from 30 April to 3 May with Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stating that only essential services and industrial activities will be permitted.
Public transport will not run and entertainment facilities including casinos will remain closed. The government had only a week earlier imposed a night curfew from 10pm to 6am with casinos, restaurants, bars and cinemas allowed to operate at 50% capacity during opening hours.
Announcement of the lockdown saw shares in India’s largest gaming operator, Delta Corp, slip 3% on Thursday.
Delta Corp operates three offshore and one land-based casino in Goa, and another land-based casino in Sikkim. The company last year unveiled plans to develop its first integrated resort in Goa, having received approval from the local tourism authority.
