Goa has about a dozen land based casinos and some floating. Many Goan residents wish they were all at sea.
The Aaam Aurat Admi Against Gambling (AAAAG) are Goans who are not at all in favour of casinos is representing organizations whose members have signed a petition hoping to influence the present government towards revoking casino licenses.

The previous Goan government, under the ‘Goa Gambling Act’ supported the construction and operation of casinos, believing it to bring tourist revenue to the local government coffers.

There are always the opposition.

The opposition’s main argument is that ‘money earned from vices should not be used to generate revenue.’ The AAAAG also believe that casinos will bring other nasties into their community such as drug dealers, hookers etc.

On the 11th April there was a ‘dharna’ held by many of the casino opposition, for example; womens’ and religious organizations, community groups.
Traditionally a ‘dharna’ is a way of demanding justice by ‘sitting at the door’ of the wrongdoer and fasting until justice is obtained. These kind of meetings are used by communities and organizations seeking reform or change.

Ms Sabina Martins from Bailancho Saad, one of the leaders of the protest, has demanded that the Goan government also ban off-shore, floating casinos. She said, if nothing was done protesters would be organized to prevent people entering the casinos.

Many police in Goa are probably wondering where their next ‘touch’ is going to be if casinos are banned.
This week (April 25th) they have been accused of standing idly by whilst bullfighting operators continued to hold illegal bullfights.
Last Thursday the Bombay High Court in Goa, demanded action of the police of two areas where the fights take place.

Perhaps the police will have to be content with ‘turning a blind eye’ to the Matka punters and their bookies.

Matka: originally punters bet money on numbers and the winning number received 80 times the bet.
The game started by using the opening and closing figures of the cotton exchange that were transmitted to India and was gambled on…and it cottoned on.

Now it has many variations based on combinations of numbers using playing cards or just numbered cards and easy to open up a game almost anywhere.
Operated often by registered bookies in India, but behind the scenes.

From an article by J. Day February 2008…. The more than Rs 350 crore matka business that turns mafia and police wheels of fortune, is back on the streets of Mumbai.…The illegal betting syndicate is a good source of income for the underworld and the police. Locals said they were afraid to report the illegal betting den to the police, fearing a backlash. They were led to believe that the police were collecting ‘hafta’ from the operator.

later mav

Jie Gao, China, not far from the Burma border and a gateway town into Burma .
It is on the famous eleven hundred kilometre ‘Burma Road.’

This part of Burma, Shan State, is ruled by warlords who normally charge a substantial ‘rent’ to those who wish to pass through their territory.

However, this month the Chinese government, who have a penchant for border crossing, are delivering 100 new army trucks to Burma’s central government military dictatorship. Last year the Chinese supplied much of the transport to help the Burmese military counter the Buddhist monk uprising.

Three years ago the Chinese Army was in Shan State closing down all the casinos. Much to the grievance of the warlords of Shan.
Since then these independent rulers have capitalised on the clean-up and rebuilt more modern and well equipped casinos in this jungle area for their Chinese customers.

This trip, the convoy of green Tongfeng made trucks are ambling through the winding jungle road ignoring the casinos. Their priorities have changed. Perhaps there is an unspoken deal ‘you allow our trucks safe passage and we will ignore your casinos.’
The Chinese government cannot officially close Burmese casinos, the best they can do is stop gamblers going to them but it isn’t in their interests, they need to keep sweet with the Shan and Kachin ….they need backalleys of trade to make enough money to support their army in Tibet.

The people here in the border area are used to seeing trucks….going both ways. Burmese timber has long been traveling into China. Even since the Beijing government banned imports of the raw timber illegal trade is still rife.
Illegal jade and of course narcotics make up much of the ever rolling convoys crossing into China.

In the border village of Mai Ja Yang the ethnic Kachin people are planning to build more and massive casinos to cater for increasing demand.

Jie Gao has become a free trade area on the Ruili River bordering Burma, there are no casinos here. Because over the border the towns and villages in many outlying areas sport the casino business.

Jie Gao has the drugs, heroin by the ton. Backhanders, greasing the right palms allows the free trade to continue interrupted.

Ruili has it’s share of the drugtrade too but the first prize must go to Jie Gao.

Officially China exported over one billion dollars worth of various commodities to Burma in 2007 and imported only about a quarter of a billion dollars worth from Burma. But in reality the figures of Chinese imports from Burma probably far exceeds Burma’s from China.

At the end of March the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) arrested two Tibetan activisists in the KIA controlled town of Laiza, on request of the Chinese government. In early April Chinese military officials held talks with the KIA to discuss security issues along the border.
There is strong military presence in Jie Gao and the border crossings at the moment so if you were looking for a bit of a flutter at the casinos better wait a while.

later mav

Anyone who knows anything about online gambling, knows that the Kahnawake territory in Quebec, Canada hosts the websites for a lot of the online casinos and poker rooms.

Via the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, they have been running a very successful operation for many years, and have a lot of respect in the industry.

Click through to read a great story about the Kahnawake Online Gambling business on TheStar.

It’s good to hear that security is tight. I also didn’t know their tribal name is pronounced “Gah-nah-WAH-gay”! I’ve been saying it wrong for years!