
Nepal Overhauls Casino Laws with Strict AML and Capital Requirements
Nepal is rapidly emerging as a key gaming destination in South Asia, with market analysts projecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.7% between
Nepal prohibits gambling and betting, with narrow exceptions: land-based casinos licensed for foreign visitors, lotteries run with government permission, and small-stake games approved by the government at public fairs and festivals.Section 125 of the Muluki Criminal Code 2074 makes it an offence to gamble or cause gambling, with up to three months in prison or a fine of up to NPR 30,000 for a first offence, and separately bans betting on the result of any game, with up to a year in prison. There is no online gambling licence. In January 2023 the Nepal Telecommunications Authority directed all internet service providers to block websites and apps offering online gambling. Casinos are licensed and supervised by the Department of Tourism under Chapter 5B of the Tourism Act 2035, inserted in 2024, and the Casino Rules 2082, in force since July 2025. A licence lasts one fiscal year, must sit in a hotel or resort of four stars or above, and needs paid-up capital of NPR 300 million for a large casino or NPR 200 million for a machine-only casino; each company may run one casino. Nepali citizens may not play or enter, and licensed casinos may not offer online games or advertise in Nepal. The Department lists 24 casino companies renewed for fiscal year 2082/83. Casinos pay a fixed annual royalty set by the Finance Act, raised for 2083/84 to NPR 55 million for a large casino and NPR 30 million for a machine-only casino, withhold 25% windfall gain tax from winnings and must spend 2% of net income on social causes. Casinos are reporting entities under the anti-money laundering law and must report transactions of NPR 1 million or more in a day to the Financial Intelligence Unit. Casinos licensed within five kilometres of the border have until April 2027 to meet new security standards or relocate.
Reading casino licensing as a sign that gambling is legal: outside a licensed casino, gambling and betting are offences for the player under s. 125 of the Criminal Code, and Nepali citizens may not play or even enter a casino. Assuming a casino licence covers online play: the Casino Rules and the Department's directions bar online games, and internet service providers must block online gambling sites. Budgeting on the old figures: the royalty is reset by each year's Finance Act and rose to NPR 55 million and NPR 30 million for 2083/84, capital requirements rose to NPR 300 million and NPR 200 million in 2025, and the border exclusion zone widened from three to five kilometres. Treating the royalty as the whole tax bill: casinos also withhold 25% windfall gain tax from winnings and must spend 2% of net income on social causes.
Online casino and online sports betting are prohibited in Nepal, so no licence currently permits offering them. The licensing regime as recorded is set out below.
The regulator is the Department of Tourism (DoT).
We record 2 licence types for Nepal.
For the Large casino licence (ठूलो क्यासिनो), the application fee is NPR 1,500,000 (as of 14 Jul 2025) and the annual fee is NPR 55,000,000 (as of 17 Jul 2026).
| Licence type | Application fee | Annual fee | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large casino licence (ठूलो क्यासिनो)Licence fee NPR 30 million on grant (Casino Rules 2082, r. 7(8)(क)); annual royalty fixed by the Finance Act, NPR 55 million for fiscal year 2083/84 (Finance Act 2083, s. 22) against NPR 50 million for 2082/83; a fee for prior approval to form the company, NPR 10,000 under r. 4(1) (the Schedule 1 form states NPR 5,000). Minimum paid-up capital NPR 300 million (r. 3). | NPR 1,500,000 (as of 14 Jul 2025) | NPR 55,000,000 (as of 17 Jul 2026) | One fiscal year (mid-July to mid-July) |
| Small casino licence (सानो क्यासिनो)Licence fee NPR 15 million on grant (r. 7(8)(क)); annual royalty NPR 30 million for fiscal year 2083/84 (Finance Act 2083, s. 22) against NPR 15 million for 2082/83. Minimum paid-up capital NPR 200 million (r. 3). | NPR 1,000,000 (as of 14 Jul 2025) | NPR 30,000,000 (as of 17 Jul 2026) | One fiscal year (mid-July to mid-July) |
Built from the record on this page, last verified 24 Sept 2026. The Licensing and Taxation sections carry the full detail and sources.
Muluki Criminal Code 2074 (National Penal (Code) Act 2017)
मुलुकी अपराध संहिता, २०७४
Tourism Act 2035 (1978), Chapter 5B, casino operation
पर्यटन ऐन, २०३५, परिच्छेद ५ख
Asset (Money) Laundering Prevention Act 2064 (2008)
सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरण (मनी लाउन्डरिङ्ग) निवारण ऐन, २०६४
चिठ्ठा ऐन, २०२५
आयकर ऐन, २०५८
क्यासिनो नियमावली, २०८२
क्यासिनो नियमावली, २०७०
AML/CFT Directive 2082 for casinos (Department of Tourism)
सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरण तथा आतङ्ककारी कार्यमा वित्तीय लगानी निवारण सम्बन्धमा पर्यटन विभागबाट क्यासिनो व्यवसायी (सूचक संस्था) लाई जारी गरेको निर्देशन, २०८२
Guideline on risk-based on-site inspection and off-site supervision of casinos 2082
जोखिमको आधारमा क्यासिनोको स्थलगत निरीक्षण र गैर-स्थलगत सुपरीवेक्षण दिग्दर्शन, २०८२
Nepal Telecommunications Authority directive on online gambling
आर्थिक ऐन, २०८३
Large casino licence (ठूलो क्यासिनो)
Small casino licence (सानो क्यासिनो)
Telecommunications Authority public notice declaring them illegal and asking the public to report them for disabling and blacklisting
Directed to block access in Nepal to websites, apps and online networks used for online gambling and related activity
Department of Tourism directions after media reports and complaints of non-compliance: full compliance with the AML/CFT directive, no foreign exchange without a Nepal Rastra Bank licence, no online games, no subcontracting, same-day withholding of windfall gain tax, with legal action for casinos found non-compliant in risk-based monitoring
25 Oct 1968
Lottery Act 2025 authenticated, requiring government permission for any lottery
22 Jul 2013
Casino Rules 2070 published under the Tourism Act 2035
17 Aug 2018
Muluki Criminal Code 2074 in force, with the gambling and betting offences in s. 125
5 Apr 2022
Telecommunications Authority notice declaring online gambling sites and apps illegal
6 Jan 2023
Telecommunications Authority directs internet service providers to block online gambling sites and apps
12 Apr 2024
Amending Act 2080 authenticated, inserting the casino chapter into the Tourism Act
14 Jul 2025
Casino Rules 2082 published, repealing the 2070 Rules; Finance Act 2082 sets the 2082/83 royalty at NPR 50 million and NPR 15 million
15 Nov 2025
Department of Tourism directions to all casinos on AML, foreign exchange, online games and windfall tax
14 Jul 2026
Finance Act 2083 authenticated, raising the royalty to NPR 55 million and NPR 30 million for 2083/84
Casinos licensed before the 2024 amendment that sit within five kilometres of the border must meet the new security standards by 29 Chaitra 2083 (12 April 2027) or move to a qualifying hotel beyond that distance (Casino Rules 2082, r. 10(4) and (5)), and existing licensees must reach the new paid-up capital levels by the end of Chaitra 2085, in April 2029 (r. 3(2)). The Finance Act 2083 gives unrenewed casinos a one-time route back to renewal for 2083/84 and waives royalty for casinos damaged during the Gen Z movement while they were closed. The Department of Tourism is moving to risk-based supervision of casinos under Nepal's 2082 action plan to exit the grey list. No bill to license online gambling was located.

Nepal is rapidly emerging as a key gaming destination in South Asia, with market analysts projecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.7% between
Source tiers. Tier 1: the law, official gazette, licence register or regulator itself. Tier 2: other official sources such as ministries, parliaments, courts and statistics agencies. Only tier 1 and tier 2 sources can support a fact on their own.
Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np) (translated)
The Law Commission moved to a new website in 2026; this is the current official page for the text, consolidated through the 2080 amending Acts. The 2080 amending Act (np-aml-biz-act-2080) added s. 125A on hundi but did not change s. 125.
Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Nepal (moljpa.gov.np)
The English translation was not carried over when the ministry replaced its website, so the link is the archived copy of the official file. The Nepali text is authoritative; the English translation matches it on s. 125.
Archived copyNepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np) (translated)
Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np) (translated)
The Law Commission moved to a new website in 2026; this is the current official page for the text. Repealed by rule 32 of the Casino Rules 2082.
Archived copyFederal Parliament Secretariat, House of Representatives (hr.parliament.gov.np) (translated)
Text as passed by both Houses and certified for authentication; the Law Commission consolidated Tourism Act including Chapter 5B could not be retrieved. The Casino Rules 2082 cite the same sections (ss. 45E to 45N). Sections are given in the usual English form of the Nepali lettering (45D for ४५घ through 45P for ४५त).
Federal Parliament Secretariat, House of Representatives (hr.parliament.gov.np) (translated)
Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np) (translated)
Department of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Government of Nepal (tourismdepartment.gov.np) (translated)
Department of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Government of Nepal (tourismdepartment.gov.np) (translated)
Department of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Government of Nepal (tourismdepartment.gov.np) (translated)
Department of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Government of Nepal (tourismdepartment.gov.np) (translated)
Federal Parliament Secretariat, House of Representatives (hr.parliament.gov.np) (translated)
The certified text leaves the day of the President's authentication blank; the authentication date 2083-03-30 BS is taken from the House of Representatives list of authenticated bills (np-hr-authenticated).
Federal Parliament Secretariat, House of Representatives (hr.parliament.gov.np) (translated)
Federal Parliament Secretariat, House of Representatives (hr.parliament.gov.np) (translated)
Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np) (translated)
Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np)
The English translation was not carried over when the Law Commission replaced its website, so the link is the archived copy of the official file. The Nepali text is still published by the Law Commission; no repeal was located, but a current consolidated status could not be confirmed.
Archived copyNepal Telecommunications Authority (nta.gov.np) (translated)
Nepal Telecommunications Authority (nta.gov.np) (translated)