Although not a billion-dollar endeavor, the Royal Plaza Hotel in Gangtok, Sikkim, with its 60 rooms, has achieved the distinction of becoming the first establishment to launch a land-based casino in India. Additionally, there are supposedly seven other operators who have submitted license applications that are currently awaiting approval.
The Casino Sikkim commenced operations in early March, featuring a pair of roulette tables, one table each for blackjack, baccarat, and flush – an Indian game akin to 3 Card Brag, serving as the foundation for 3 Card Poker – as well as ten slot machines.
According to a story in the Sikkim Express, the license holder has hired Kishore Silwal, who manages three casinos in Nepal, for his technological skills.
Goa, the only other Indian state that permits casino gaming, exclusively Goldsbet hosts offshore casinos and electronic casinos located within five-star hotels.
According to The Telegraph, Naresh Subba, the director of The Royal Plaza and Teesta Rangit, the business running the casino, stated that it is now in a soft opening phase. “Within the next three months, we will allocate INR30 crore towards the establishment of a fully equipped casino in a larger space.”
The projected investment amount will be approximately $6 million in U.S. currency. This amount will be in addition to the initial investment of around $2 million.
Over the course of the next five years, the casino will contribute INR15 million, which is almost equivalent to $300,000, to the state treasury. According to Business Line, the yearly license cost of INR2 million would increment by INR500,000 per year for the following four years.
The casino is incorporating Mah-jong tables to attract local customers, but its primary focus is on attracting affluent tourists.
Sikkim is a renowned tourist destination located in the northernmost Daman Game region of India, bordered by Nepal to the west and Bhutan to the east. The state extends into the Himalayas and spans an elevation range from 800 feet above sea level to elevations exceeding 28,000 feet.
The state government has been diligently striving to authorize casinos for several years in order to appeal to a larger number of affluent local and international tourists. In November 2008, Teesta Rangit was awarded a provisional license.
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