Nepal's proposed Tourism Bill 2081 is facing extensive revision after lawmakers submitted 263 amendment notices. Casino regulation has emerged as one of the most heavily contested areas of the legislation.
Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal has accepted amendments from 58 members of the House of Representatives for further discussion, opening the way for potentially significant changes to Nepal's casino oversight framework.
Several lawmakers have proposed establishing an independent Casino Regulatory Unit under the relevant ministry, rather than leaving casino supervision with the Department of Tourism. The proposals reflect wider calls to separate tourism promotion from gambling regulation and introduce more specialized oversight of the sector.
Ownership transparency is another major focus. Proposed amendments would require casino-licensed companies to disclose ultimate beneficial owners holding at least 10% and obtain regulatory approval for ownership transfers.
Lawmakers are also seeking stronger financial crime controls, including mandatory know-your-customer procedures, real-time monitoring linked to the Financial Intelligence Unit, Suspicious Transaction Reports and dedicated anti-money laundering compliance officers at individual casinos.
Foreign investment rules remain more contested. Some amendments propose limiting foreign ownership to 49%, while others would require hotels or resorts hosting casinos to maintain at least 25% to 30% local ownership.
Another issue concerns companies operating multiple casinos under a single license. Several proposals would require these operators to select one property or establish separate companies for additional casinos, although suggested transition periods vary from three months to five years.
Meanwhile, several lawmakers from Madhesh have sought to remove existing restrictions on casino licensing, with alternative proposals calling for designated casino zones or "casino villages" following feasibility studies.
Beyond gambling, the bill has attracted amendments covering mountaineering permits, digital nomad visas and new tourism categories. Some lawmakers have also proposed replacing the Department of Tourism with an autonomous Nepal Tourism Authority featuring separate regulatory and promotional divisions.
The bill will now proceed through the House committee stage, where lawmakers will debate and consolidate the proposed changes before the legislation moves forward.
The amendments will now move through the House committee stage for debate and consolidation before the bill can advance
