New Nepal Bill aims to keep casino industry in check

The Nepalese government is planning to streamline and regulate the country’s casino industry through the enactment of a new law, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Nepal’s Ministry of Tourism is set to submit a draft of Casino Bill 2018 to the Cabinet next week as the agency seeks to rein in existing casinos that continue to operate without paying a dime to the government.

Under Nepal’s Casino Regulation 2013, operators need to shell out NPR20 million (US$185,700) to obtain a casino operating license. Casino operators must pay half of the casino operating license fee when renewing their license annually.

Casinos in Nepal are also required to pay another NPR30 million ($279,300) fee annually under Nepal’s Financial Act. There were suggestions to increase this fee by one-third for financial year 2018-2019.