Is online gambling legal in Nepal?

Legal overview

Gambling and betting are criminal offences in Nepal under Section 125 of the National Penal (Code) Act, 2017 (2074 BS). The section defines gambling as playing a game of chance for money or property and betting as wagering on the outcome of a game, with exceptions for authorised lotteries and small-stake entertainment games approved by the government at public events. Legal guides list penalties for a first gambling offence of up to three months in prison, a fine of up to Rs 30,000, or both, with heavier penalties for repeat offences. Betting under sub-section (4) can bring up to one year in prison and a fine of up to Rs 10,000, and the stake can be confiscated. These rules apply to players as well as organisers.

The only legal casinos are land-based venues licensed by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation under the Casino Regulation 2070 (2013). Nepali citizens may not enter or play in them, and only foreign passport holders aged 18 or over are admitted. There is no licence for online casinos, online sports betting or online poker, and legal commentators note that using an offshore platform, a VPN or electronic payments does not create an exception. The Advertisement (Regulation) Act, 2076 (2019) also prohibits advertising gambling.

Enforcement has stepped up sharply. At its 27 March 2026 meeting, the cabinet adopted a governance reform plan whose point 42 orders betting apps and websites to be shut down within 24 hours. The Nepal Telecommunications Authority then had internet providers block them, and by 5 April 2026 it reported that more than 7,000 apps and URLs had been shut down. Players have no legal protection against offshore operators.