Nepal is South Asian country landlocked and mostly mountainous located in the southern part of the Himalayas with the northern border of china and the rest of the borders surrounded by India. Was declared as federal democratic republic in the year 2008. Nepal being a culturally and historically diverse country has a rather unclear legal framework concerning sports betting and gambling. This blog post is intended to give a brief on the current status of sports betting in Nepal including its history, regulation and the best betting sites in Nepal.
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Table of Contents
Summary of Key Events
The Roots of Nepal’s Gambling Laws
Over the years, the gambling in Nepal has undergone through various changes as presented in this paper. The initial comprehensive legislation was the Gambling Act of 1963 which stated that gambling referred to any game of chance played with money. The penalties were rather mild; the maximum penalty was Rs200 for the first-time offenders.
Moving to 2017, the Criminal Code was amended and the provision of gambling was included as Section 125. This update introduced harsher sanctions; the first-time offenders were to be arrested or fined Rs30,000 or both. The offenders could be dealt with more severely in the subsequent cases.
Gambling Regulatory Agencies
In Nepal, several agencies oversee gambling activities:
- Department of Tourism: Regulation and licensing body of casinos.
- Nepal Police: To enforce the laws regulating gambling and closing down any operations that are unlawful in gambling.
- Local Governing Bodies: Assist in controlling the smaller gambling businesses and see to it that they are in conformity with the laws of the country.
Prohibited and Permitted Bets
Gambling in Nepal thus remains a paradox of legalized activities and prohibited ones. Here’s a quick summary:
- Permitted Bets:
- Gambling is allowed and mostly to tourists, there are casinos around the country.
- Gambling in horse racing is allowed but must be regulated.
- Lottery (government-operated)
- Prohibited Bets:
- Sports betting for locals
- Online gambling
- Gambling directly with local people with in the casino compound.
Licenses and Fees of Betting Sites in Nepal
In order to conduct gambling business in Nepal one has to have a license issued by the Department of Tourism. Here are the key details:
License Types:
- Casino License
- Lottery License
- Horse Racing License
Fees:
- Casino License Fee (annual): NPR 20 million.
- Lottery License Fee (annual): Five million NPR were received.
- Horse Racing License Fee (annual): The total amount of fund that is needed is NPR 2 million.
Gambling Taxes
Gambling operators in Nepal are subject to various taxes:
- Casino Revenue Tax: A fourth of the gross receipts
- Lottery Revenue Tax: It is fifteen percent of the gross revenue earned.
- Horse Racing Revenue Tax: Thus, the payment shall be made at the rate of 10% of the gross revenue earned by the company.
Best Betting Sites in Nepal
Although gambling is prohibited, people in Nepal can still bet through the internet as the laws concerning gambling are rigid. Here are some of the top betting sites for Nepalese players:
Dafabet
Dafabet: An Asian centered website that is engaged in sports betting and casino games among other services. It also has multiple payment options with the inclusion of cryptocurrencies.
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22Bet
22Bet: Buts the main focus is cricket betting and other sports include football and tennis. It also includes many bonuses and promotions for its customers.
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1xBet
1Xbet: It is renowned because of the variety of sports betting services and the simple design of the website. It also caters for payment in Nepalese currency.
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Main Events in the Development of Sports Betting
Sports betting has had its share of significant events in Nepal:
- 1968: First casino in Kathmandu is opened.
- 1983: First government owned lottery to be launched.
- 2013: Tightening up of the rules regarding the casinos.
- 2017: Revision of the Criminal Code concerning severe punishment concerning gambling activities.
- 2020: Definition of the rules of online gambling.
Sports Star Glory
Nepal has produced several sports stars who have gained international recognition:
- Paras Khadka: A known Nepalese skipper of the national cricket team for achieving good records and proper coordination of the team.
- Bimal Gharti Magar: Superstar of the Nepali football team and the current team leader.
- Tenzing Norgay: Sherpa Nepali that with Hillary achieved the fame of the first man to conquer Mount Everest in 1953.
- Apa Sherpa: For others the record holder of most climbing to the Mount Everest of any person.
- Gaurika Singh: Married 8 Ly Udovichenko: born on 26th of August 1993, the youngest Olympian of all the time, swimmer for Nepal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
Gambling Laws in Neighboring Countries
Nepal shares borders with China and India, both of which have their own unique gambling regulations:
China:
- Most forms of gambling are banned in the country though they are allowed in some special administrative zones such as Macau and Hong Kong.
- Gambling online is against the law.
India:
- Laws that pertain to gambling are most often state specific and some of the states allow lotteries and horse racing.
- Casinos are authorized to operate in Goa, Daman and Sikkim.
Bhutan:
- None of the types of gambling are allowed.
- There are no-tolerance rules when it comes to gambling laws in the country.
Conclusion
Despite the restricted number of betting sites in Nepal due to the strict rules and regulation, the existing ones present a different perspective to the interested gamblers. Thus, you will be able to know the legal requirements, the restrictions in your region and the platforms you can use safely to gamble and have a good time.
FAQ about Betting Sites in Nepal
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