Those who know John Snowball well know that when The Snowball speaks, you had better listen. As a veteran and much respected professional of the gaming industry, Snowball has always acted within the politically and operationally correct side of gaming, and now as spokesman for the newly formed Association of Offshore Casino Operators (AOCO) in India, the war cry has gone out: “We shall not be moved!”

After a heated debate in the legislative assembly, the Goa government asked the operators to move five nautical miles into the Aguada Bay, into what operators describe as the choppy offshore waters. The answers have come right back with operators having refused to abide by the government order and instead issuing a challenge to the order in the High Court.

Snowball said: “Why should the operators move out when the government has given licence to operate in River Mandovi? Independent researches have found that the Aguada Bay has unstable waters and we cannot run our casino operations from there. We have invested nearly US $100 million, after narrowing the options down to the Mandovi River being the ideal site for hosting our vessels.”

Commenting on the sentiments of citizens who are opposed to casinos in the Mandovi, Snowball said: “We respect the people who oppose the casino industry on moral grounds. However, it is time that the casino industry is viewed practically, rather than through an emotional prism. Offshore casinos are not only giving jobs but also a lot of revenue to the State treasury.”

Dismissing protests by the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party as just “pre-election noises,” Snowball concluded: “There are several misconceptions and myths vis-à-vis the Goa offshore casinos which the AOCO would like to clear. One: there is no connection between the casino industry and drug trade; two: there are no links between casinos and crime either. Collectively dealing with the State government on several issues is also part of our agenda. There is no point in dealing with the government on an individual basis, as unity is the best way forward.” (E-05.08.09)

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