Deltin Casinos in Goa: Entry and Chip Charges

What it is

Deltin is the biggest casino name in Goa. The group runs three properties in the state: Deltin Royale, which it calls Asia's largest offshore casino, Deltin Jaqk, which has been running since 2008, and Deltin Suites Casino, the group's first onshore casino, inside a five-star hotel in Nerul¹.

The three floors are very different in size.

Together the group advertises more than 1,400 gaming positions across the three¹.

If you are deciding between operators, the practical comparison most visitors make is with Big Daddy, the other large offshore operator in Goa. There is a full side-by-side on Big Daddy vs Deltin Casinos in Goa.

Licenses and regulator

Goa's casinos operate under the Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act, 1976, which allows casinos only in five-star hotels or offshore, and only with prior government approval⁶. Delta Corp holds three of the six offshore gaming licenses issued in Goa and operates a land-based casino in Goa, and it has been granted a license to operate a casino at its hotel Deltin Suites⁶.

Delta Corp holds three of the six offshore gaming licenses issued in Goa and operates a land-based casino in Goa⁹. The company was granted a license to operate a casino at its hotel Deltin Suites in Goa in December 2015¹⁰.

The Goa government publishes the official list of onshore and offshore casinos, which is the cleanest way to confirm which venues currently hold a license¹². On that list, Deltin Suites in Nerul is registered to Delta Corp. Ltd., and the offshore vessel M.V. Horseshoe Casino is registered to M/s Delta Corp Limited¹².

Where it accepts players

Deltin's casinos are in Goa, and that is where you have to be to play. The group also runs The Deltin in Daman, a five-star property with a casino, and Deltin Nepal Private Limited operates a casino in the Marriott Hotel premises in Nepal⁹.

For the Goa properties, the entry rule is strict and worth reading twice: guests are permitted inside the casino only with a prior confirmed booking made through the Deltin website or the Deltin call center². You cannot simply show up at the jetty for an offshore vessel or walk into the hotel casino and expect to buy your way in. Book first, keep the confirmation, and bring ID.

Deltin also lists health requirements on its site, including that a mask is mandatory and that entry is permitted to guests with a final vaccination certificate. Partially vaccinated guests, or those below 18, may enter with an RT-PCR negative report collected within 72 hours of check-in¹. Check the current requirements before you travel, since these change.

The legal position by country

Casinos in Goa are government-licensed, and playing at a licensed Goa casino is legal for visitors and residents alike¹⁵. The state has kept a liberal approach to physical casinos under the 1976 Act⁷.

The rules differ by where you are coming from and what you plan to do:

• Indian citizens and residents: You can play at licensed Goa casinos. If you are in a state where gambling is restricted, the restriction applies there, not in Goa.
• Foreign visitors and expats: You can play at licensed Goa casinos on the same terms as anyone else. Bring your passport as ID.
• Online play: Playing on offshore casino websites is illegal in India, and players have been prosecuted. Deltin's own online payment terms cover bookings and packages, not real-money online casino play³.

If you want the wider picture on what is and is not permitted across the country, see Can I Gamble in India?.

Games and payments

Deltin Royale carries the widest game list: Texas Hold'Em Poker, Roulette, Indian Flush (Teen Patti), Baccarat, Blackjack, Casino War, 7 up 7 down, 3 Card Poker, 5 Card Poker, Mini Flush, Andar Bahar, Money Wheel, Texas House Poker, Sic Bo and Dragon Tiger⁴. It also has the largest dedicated poker room in Goa¹⁴.

Deltin Suites Casino is smaller and quieter, with Roulette, Blackjack, Maang Patta and other card and table games⁵. Deltin Jaqk has a dedicated card room of its own¹⁴.

If you have never played before, Deltin publishes a learn-to-play section covering the basics of the games on its floors¹⁶. For rules on the games you are most likely to see, see Baccarat Rules, Blackjack and Pontoon Rules, Roulette Rules, Sic Bo Rules and Dragon Tiger Rules.

The 28% GST on chips

This is the number that catches people out. Under Notification No. 51/2023 from the Ministry of Finance, a GST of 28% applies to the amount paid for the purchase of chips and playing coupons for use within Deltin Casinos, effective from October 1, 2023³. The same rate is stated across Deltin's property pages, terms and game rules⁴.

Two practical points follow from that:

• The tax is charged on the amount you pay for chips, so a larger buy-in carries a larger tax bill.
• The GST paid at the time of every purchase of chips or playing coupons is not refunded if you return or encash them¹⁴.

Packages and playing coupons

Deltin's packages typically include entry to the casino floor, access to the gaming areas, food and drinks, live entertainment, and gaming coupons or other perks where offered²¹. The exact contents vary by property and by package tier, so read the package you are buying rather than assuming.

Two offers are stated plainly on the Deltin site:

• Book online and get a 500 non-negotiable playing coupon with each package, without paying any additional amount¹.
• Pay an additional 500 and get non-negotiable playing coupons worth 1,000 with each package¹.

Non-negotiable playing coupons can be used to play but cannot be cashed out. If you are new to them, Non-Negotiable Chips, Free Play and Match Play Coupons Explained covers how they work in Asian casinos.

Paying

For online payments, Deltin accepts credit cards, debit cards, net banking, payment wallets and UPI, processed through Pay U Payments India Pvt Ltd³. On the floor, you buy chips at the cage in the usual way. For the mechanics of buying and cashing chips, see Buying and Cashing Chips.

Ownership and history

Delta Corp Limited owns Deltin Royale and Deltin Suites, and Deltin Jaqk is owned by Highstreet Cruises and Entertainment Private Limited²². Delta Corp describes itself as the only listed gaming and hospitality company in the group's marketing, and it owns and operates Deltin Suites in Goa and The Deltin in Daman, both five-star properties with recreational and MICE facilities⁹.

The history runs in a straight line:

• Deltin Jaqk has operated since 2008 and is described as India's signature casino¹.
• Delta Corp was granted a license to operate a casino at its hotel Deltin Suites in Goa in December 2015¹⁰.
• Deltin Suites Casino opened as the group's first onshore casino in Goa⁵.
• The Deltin in Daman is a five-star property with a casino, owned and operated by the group⁹.

The group's offshore vessels appear on the Goa government's license register under different owning entities: M.V. Horseshoe Casino under M/s Delta Corp Limited, and M.V. Royale Flotel under Delta Pleasure Cruise Co. Pvt. Ltd.¹². Other Goa casino vessels and onshore venues on the same register belong to unrelated owners, including M.V. San Domino, M.V. Pride of Goa, Neo Majestic in Porvorim, Grand Hyatt in Bambolim and Vainguim Valley Resort in Dona Paula¹².

What to expect on the day

Offshore Deltin casinos work like this: you book in advance, you arrive at the boarding point at the time given in your confirmation, you show your booking and ID, and you board the vessel. The casino operates on the water, so sailing times are fixed and late arrivals miss the boat.

Onshore Deltin Suites Casino is simpler. You book, you arrive at the hotel in Nerul, you show your booking and ID, and you go up to the floor. The hotel itself is a five-star property with a meeting room, business center, board room, gym, spa, pool, creche and recreation room alongside the casino²⁰.

A few practical notes that apply across the properties:

• Book before you go. No confirmed booking, no entry².
• Bring photo ID. Passport is the safest option for foreign visitors.
• Budget for the 28% GST on top of whatever you plan to spend on chips³.
• Check the dress code. Goa's casinos enforce one, and beachwear is not it. See Casino Dress Codes in Asia.
• Check the phone and photo rules before you start filming. See Can You Take Photos or Use Your Phone in a Casino?.
• Check the smoking rules if that matters to you. See Smoking in Casinos in Asia.

If you want to compare the Deltin floors against the other big Goa operator before you book, the Big Daddy vs Deltin Casinos in Goa page sets them side by side. For the wider regional picture, see Casinos and Integrated Resorts in Asia and Macau, Singapore, Manila, Genting and More: Asia's Casino Destinations Compared.