Is online gambling legal in Nepal?

Online gambling is not legal here. Playing on offshore sites can get you into legal trouble.

Online sports betting is banned in Nepal. Online casino is banned in Nepal. Online poker is banned in Nepal. The lottery is legal on sites licensed in Nepal.

Using a VPN to reach gambling sites from Nepal: Restricted.

Gambling with crypto: Banned.

You must be 18 to gamble online in Nepal, for sports betting and lottery alike.

Casinos serve foreign passport-holders only. Operators are required to withhold an unspecified 'profit tax' from winnings before payout and remit it to the Inland Revenue Office. This was previously referred to as a 25% 'windfall gain tax'.

There are approximately 14 licensed operators in Nepal as of 8 Oct 2026.

No national licence for online gambling exists here, so a site taking deposits from players in Nepal is not licensed locally, whatever licence it shows from elsewhere.

Department of Tourism (under Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation)'s website

Prominent operators in Nepal

• ✓
  Verify the casino is in a five-star hotel

  A primary condition of a casino license is that the establishment must be located within a registered five-star hotel. If a casino is a standalone building, it is likely unlicensed.

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  Check for passport verification at entry

  Licensed casinos are legally mandated to prohibit Nepali citizens from entering. A legitimate casino will have strict security that requires all patrons to show a foreign passport for verification before entry.

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  Look for posted AML notices

  Regulated casinos must comply with Anti-Money Laundering directives. Look for signage regarding these policies, including the requirement to report large transactions (over NPR 1 million).

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  Confirm on-premises operations only

  A licensed Nepalese casino will not offer any online or mobile gaming apps. A November 2025 directive explicitly banned any internet-based gaming from licensed venues.

What the rules mean for bonus offers you see in Nepal. The rules operators must follow are on the operator page.

1. 1

   1. Complain to the Casino Operator

   The first step for any foreign player with a dispute (e.g., a refused payout) is to address it directly with the casino's management. Operators are required to maintain records and operate under the Casino Regulation, 2070.

2. 2

   2. File a Formal Complaint with the Department of Tourism

   If the dispute cannot be resolved with the operator, a formal complaint can be filed with the regulator, the Department of Tourism. As the licensing body, it has the authority to investigate licensed establishments. No dedicated public portal exists; complaints are handled on a case-by-case basis.

3. 3

   3. Legal Action / Police Report

   For serious issues such as fraud, a player can file a report with the Nepal Police. This would initiate a criminal investigation and potentially lead to legal proceedings in the Nepalese courts.

• Myth

  It's legal for me to play on foreign websites using a VPN.
  Reality

  False. As of March 2026, all online gambling websites are subject to a nationwide ISP block. Circumventing this block to gamble is illegal under the National Penal Code, which criminalizes all forms of gambling for citizens and carries penalties of up to one year in prison.

• Myth

  My winnings from a casino in Kathmandu are tax-free.
  Reality

  False. While tourists are not required to file a tax return in Nepal, the casino operator is legally required to withhold a 'profit tax' from winnings before payout and remit it to the Inland Revenue Office. The rate is unspecified but has previously been cited as 25%.

• Myth

  I can use Bitcoin to gamble online from Nepal.
  Reality

  False and highly risky. Both online gambling and the use of cryptocurrency are illegal in Nepal. The Nepal Telecommunications Authority has been actively blocking crypto-related websites since at least 2022, alongside gambling platforms.