Though chief minister Chandrababu Naidu plans to build new capital Amaravati into a world-class city, it would be free of casinos and race-course. This was made clear by finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu today in Assembly when BJP member suggested that government should consider setting up casinos in Amaravati. Even though casinos and race-clubs help shore up revenues, there was no proposal to set up casinos in new capital, the minister said.

According to Vishnukumar Raju, several people from Visakhapatnam and Godavari districts often go outside the state to play and place bets in casinos in Goa and Sri Lanka. Government should think of establishing casinos, horse racing clubs in the Amaravati to make city an entertainment centre as well.

“If Casinos are set up in the State itself, government can earn revenue from these centres in the form of taxes”, P. Vishnukumar Raju said participating in a discussion on the amendment to AP (Telangana Area) Horse Racing and Betting Tax Regulation.

The Finance Minister however responded that there was no proposal now to set up casinos.