Sikkim is not only the eco tourism destination; it is also a gambling hot-spot of India. Many of you who sees Sikkim as tranquil heaven may find it little strange to know, but it is true. Tourism and Gambling go hand in hand in Sikkim now. No! There’s no dance bars and strip clubs yet in Sikkim for your information. If you have the cash to play and prefer a little less wagering can always spend some time, trying your luck in Sikkim. Whether your gambling tastes run towards Goa, Katmandu or even Vegas, you're sure to find a suitable spot in Gangtok’s newly opened casinos. And when you're not striking it rich, you can just relax or plan your trip to Tsomgo!
The state government has legalized gambling in Sikkim, making Sikkim
only 2nd state in India
after Goa to have gambling facility for locals
and tourists. In other States gambling is still strictly prohibited. Presently
there are only two newly opened casinos in Sikkim, one is Casino “Mahjong” in
Mayfair Resort and other one is “Casino Sikkim” in Hotel Royal Plaza, the first
casino of Sikkim opened in 2009. These casinos offer all kinds of games including
slots, card games, roulette, poker, baccarat etc. and provide the ambiance of a
world-class casino. These casinos organize poker, flush tournaments, and
cultural events, free drinks for the punters providing plenty of action for one
to handle. The casinos are open 6:00 pm to 4:00 am everyday. All the guests are
expected to be abiding by the rules of the casino all the time, such as: you
must be appropriately dressed, no arms or ammunition, flammable items or even
the big bags are not allowed. Taking photographs are also not permitted; minors
are also not allowed inside.
Sikkim Government has been promoting both casinos and online gambling to raise state’s revenue. Other than Casinos, Sikkim government also runs an online lottery from the state, the trademark “Playwin” is the first of its kind lottery to be operated in India marketed through the distributors all over the nation, and it proved to be very successful revenue generator for the State. Playwin operates lotto games such as Thunder-ball, Thursday Super Lotto, Saturday Super Lotto, Fast Lotto, E-Play Playwin tickets can cost as minimum as Rs. 10, and the lotteries draw every day to every 10 or 20 minutes. Biggest jackpot won so far was 17 crore (Indian rupees).