Justice Rebello raises legal questions over casinos in river

NT Reporter

Panaji

Retired Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court and former judge of the Bombay High Court, Justice Ferdino Rebello, has extended
support to the ‘Ponnjekars Against Casinos’ movement opposing the proposed
introduction of a new casino vessel in the River Mandovi at Panaji.

In a letter dated February 17, addressed to activists Patricia Pinto, Chryselle Dias and Valmiki Naik, Justice Rebello responded to their request for support against a casino vessel proposed to be 112 metres long and 27 metres high, with a stated capacity of 2,000 persons.

The activists said this capacity exceeded that of all six existing casino vessels on the Mandovi combined.

“The opposition by the people of Panaji and surrounding areas is moral, just, and to protect the environment, which is the fundamental duty of every citizen,” Justice Rebello said.

He said no individual has a fundamental right to carry on the trade of gambling, which he said is legally characterised as res extra commercium and is entirely at the discretion of the state and revocable at will. He also questioned whether casino vessels moored in a river could be described as “offshore” under the Goa Public Gambling Act. “The area where the vessels are moored is a running river and cannot be described as offshore,” he said.

Justice Rebello also raised concerns over compliance with the Inland Vessels Act, 2021, and the Indian Ports Act, 2025.

He said the government had not clarified whether waste management norms were being followed and whether a conservator had been appointed as required under law.