“He loved to gamble but only took measured risks.” Sarhan’s assessment of his boss’s betting strategy is arguably the core of Mody’s business philosophy too. He worked aboard Caravela, India’s first casino ship, brought to Goa in 2001 by Advani Hotels and Resorts. He has been a part of India’s still-nascent legal gambling industry since its inception at the dawn of the millennium. That’s because Jaydev Mody, chairman of Delta Corp, the company that owns and operates the casino, has just stepped on board.ĭeltin Royale’s casino manager Rajae Sarhan, a Palestinian by birth, shows us around the ship. But the smiling staff seem to be on edge. This could be a regular day at the Deltin Royale. In another hall, a soloist plinks a lonely melody on her keyboard. A large crowd of young tourists throngs the entertainment zones that offer dining facilities and live music. Tourists are mostly confined to the first two floors, which house the casino’s basic facilities. The casino is spread over four levels, and regulars-identified by the colour of the wristbands they are given at the entrance-play in the far quieter Royale poker room on level three, India’s largest gaming room.

The ship, outfitted in ’70s décor, complete with glass chandeliers, is open all day every day of the year. It takes a second look to spot the real gamblers, the high-rollers who have flown in simply to play: A steel mill owner engrossed at the blackjack table the high-profile bodyguard of a Bollywood actor, here off-duty, with his family the six Chinese women playing quietly with a mountain of chips piled high before them, determined to beat the house. India’s largest casino ship is bustling with every kind of punter, from honeymooning couples making eyes at each other over their roulette chips to boisterous groups of mostly male vacationers, who start with the slot machines but eventually give everything a shot.

It is 2.30 am but in the Mandovi, the river that bisects Goa, the Deltin Royale is all bright lights and energy. Jaydev Mody on board the Deltin Royale, India’s largest casino ship

Big daddy casino ship in goa