Government issues 12-point directive to further regulate casinos

Kathmandu, Nov 19: The government has issued a 12-point directive with the aim of bringing casinos under further legal regulation.

The Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has emphasized that all casinos currently in operation fully complied with the Anti-Money Laundering Act and all its provisions.

The Department has sought full compliance with the directives issued to casino operators and the Directives Related to Preventing Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorist Activities. It has also reminded that trading in foreign currency without obtaining permission from Nepal Rastra Bank is not allowed.

Details in accordance with the Casino Regulations, 2082, and the directives issued by the Department of Tourism to casino operators regarding the prevention of money laundering and financing of terrorist activities must be regularly submitted to the Department.

The guidelines states that casino bettor's customer identification system and biometric details must be updated as prescribed and made available to the Department upon its request, and all activities at the casino premises must be recorded on CCTV, with the recordings kept secure for at least six months.

It is prohibited to operate a casino by making agreements with third parties or by any other means, and it is completely forbidden to operate casino at any other location except in the authorised premises.

Before paying the amount won by a punter from the casino, the profit tax should be promptly deducted from the amount won by such a gamer in accordance with the prevailing law.

After deducting the profit tax, the licensed company must immediately send the details of the certificate of such tax deduction obtained for the player to the concerned Inland Revenue Office and also provide this information to the Department.

Similarly, any casino betting based on the internet or through online means has been prohibited. Sufficient security must be guaranteed both inside and outside casino and hotel premises.

Likewise, the guideline states that immediate legal action will be taken if deficiencies are found during the monitoring of risk of casinos in accordance with the Expounding of Immediate Reformative Activities for Nepal's Exit from Grey List, 2082.  (RSS)