Is Betting Legal in Nepal? What the law says and what is reported
What is settled, what is reported and what is unclear, with dated sources. Information only, not legal advice.
By the EVO33APK Editorial Team · Fact-checked by a second editor · Last updated 5 October 2026
In short
Is betting legal in Nepal? No. Officials, as quoted by Rising Nepal on 31 March 2026, say betting is illegal under the Criminal Code 2017 and the Advertisement Regulation Act. A March 2026 order told the telecom regulator to block betting apps. We found no official list of approved apps. This is not legal advice.
- Settled: officials, as quoted by Rising Nepal on 31 March 2026, say betting is illegal.
- Reported: the 2026 blocking order and its scale, as news outlets describe it.
- Unclear: how the law applies to any one person or situation. Only a Nepali lawyer can advise on that.
You must be 18 or over to gamble anywhere, and gambling can cause harm. Read our responsible gambling page.
Table of contents
- What is settled, what is reported, and what is unclear?
- Is betting legal in Nepal? What the law says about betting and gambling
- Is betting legal in Nepal when it is online?
- What did the government do in 2026?
- Which betting app is legal in Nepal?
- Are land-based casinos treated differently?
- Limits of this page
- Short glossary
- If you are worried about gambling or the law
- Frequently asked questions
What is settled, what is reported, and what is unclear?
Is betting legal in Nepal? The honest answer has three levels, and people often mix them up. We keep them apart, and we date every source. We checked each one on 5 October 2026.
| Level | What we can say | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Settled | Officials, as quoted by Rising Nepal, say betting is illegal under the Criminal Code 2017 and the Advertisement Regulation Act. | Rising Nepal, 31 March 2026 |
| Reported | Section 125 of the Criminal Code is the provision named in several news reports and law-firm summaries. | Khabarhub, 15 April 2026; Nepal News, 16 April 2026 |
| Reported | On 29 March 2026 the Ministry directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to block betting apps and websites within 24 hours. | Fiscal Nepal, 29 March 2026; Khabarhub, 15 April 2026 |
| Reported | The number of apps and websites blocked. Outlets give different totals on different dates. | Rising Nepal; Khabarhub (two articles) |
| Unclear | The exact wording of each subsection. We could not open the official statute text this time. | See “Limits of this page” below |
| Unclear | How a court would treat a particular person’s situation. | Not answered by any source we read |
Is betting legal in Nepal? What the law says about betting and gambling
Nepal’s betting law comes down to two statutes that come up again and again in official statements and news reports.
- The Muluki Criminal Code 2074 (2017). Reports name Section 125 as the provision that prohibits betting. Outlets also call this law the National Criminal Code or the National Penal Code.
- The Advertisement (Regulation) Act, 2019. News reports say it prohibits advertising that promotes gambling or betting.
On penalties, Rising Nepal on 31 March 2026 attributed them to a statement issued by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. The statement said that involvement in betting can lead to confiscation of assets, up to one year in prison and a fine of up to Rs 10,000. It also said that this applies to playing, promoting or facilitating.
Nepal News (16 April 2026) and Khabarhub (15 April 2026) report the same penalty figures. A law-firm summary describes a separate set of penalties for gambling, such as running a game. We treat that as commentary, not as the statute. Check the figures with a lawyer.
The names of laws vary between outlets because the Code has several English titles. This matches how our page on withdrawals and the law describes it.
Is betting legal in Nepal when it is online?
Searches for online betting Nepal often mix up the law with the blocking order. Is online betting legal in Nepal? The officials quoted by Rising Nepal on 31 March 2026 say betting is illegal. The article does not carve out an exception for online betting, for betting through a foreign site, or for betting through an app.
A law-firm page we read says an offshore site, a VPN or an online account does not create an exception. It is a law firm’s marketing page, so we treat it as opinion. We use it only to show how lawyers in Nepal describe the issue.
The same answer applies to the other questions people search. Online casino, sports betting and cricket betting are all forms of betting or gambling. The sources we read do not treat them differently.
What did the government do in 2026?
For anyone asking "Is betting legal in Nepal?", this part is reported, not settled. We read each article in full before relying on it.
- 29 March 2026: Fiscal Nepal reported that the Ministry sent the Nepal Telecommunications Authority a formal directive to block betting applications and related online platforms. It linked this to the Cabinet’s 100-point governance reform plan.
- 31 March 2026: Rising Nepal reported that more than 200 betting apps and related websites had been shut down.
- 15 April 2026: Khabarhub reported an Authority official saying internet providers had reported blocking over 10,000 apps and websites.
- 16 April 2026: Nepal News reported that an Authority official said blocking VPNs is difficult, so access can continue that way.
- 24 July 2026: Khabarhub reported 223,568 apps and websites blocked since the FIFA World Cup began, and said blocked sites often come back under new names.
The totals differ because they were stated by different officials on different dates and may count different things. We do not know how any outlet counted. Treat the figures as reported, not audited.
Which betting app is legal in Nepal?
This site does not recommend betting apps, and we do not list any. We also do not publish a list of blocked apps.
People who ask "Is betting legal in Nepal?" often go on to ask about one app. What we can say is narrow. In the sources we read, officials say betting is illegal. We found no official list of approved online betting apps in any of them. We cannot tell you an app is lawful, and no website can promise that for you.
If you see an app or site that claims to be “licensed” or “legal in Nepal”, be careful. A claim on a website is not the same as an official statement. Check with a lawyer in Nepal, not with the site that wants your money.
Are land-based casinos treated differently?
Is betting legal in Nepal inside a licensed casino? Briefly, the rules for physical casinos are separate. The Kathmandu Post reported on 18 May 2025 that casinos are licensed through the Department of Tourism and that the existing regulation bars Nepali citizens from entering them. The same article said a proposed bill was silent on whether that bar would continue.
That is about physical casinos. It does not describe online betting. A separate post will cover casino licensing, so we keep this section short.
Limits of this page
We could not open the official English text of the Criminal Code on the Nepal Law Commission website on 5 October 2026. So the statements about Section 125 come from government statements as reported by news outlets, and from law-firm commentary. Some outlets cite different subsection numbers, so we refer only to Section 125.
We also did not find a court ruling on a player. A 2023 Kathmandu Post report describes a case in Kathmandu District Court against people charged with promoting an online betting platform. It shows that promotion has been prosecuted. It does not tell us how a case against a player would go.
So our answer to "Is betting legal in Nepal?" rests on reported official statements, not on statute text we read. Nepal’s betting law and its enforcement can change. Check the dates above.
Short glossary
- Betting: staking money or property on an uncertain outcome.
- Gambling: a wider word for games of chance played for stakes. Reports on Nepal’s law use the two words together.
- Muluki Criminal Code 2074: Nepal’s main criminal law, in force since 2017. Also called the National Criminal Code or the National Penal Code.
- Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA): the telecom regulator. Reports say it instructs internet providers to block sites.
- ISP: internet service provider, the company that connects you to the internet.
- VPN: a tool that routes your connection through another place. Officials say it is hard to block.
- Confiscation: the state taking property linked to an offence.
If you are worried about gambling or the law
This is not legal advice. If you are asking "Is betting legal in Nepal?" about your own situation, do not rely on a website to tell you what you may do. If you are worried about your own position, speak to a lawyer in Nepal.
If gambling is causing you stress, debt or sleepless nights, talk to someone you trust. Read our responsible gambling page. We are an independent information site, and you can read how we work on our about page. You must be 18 or over.
Frequently asked questions
Is gambling legal in Nepal?
Officials, as quoted by Rising Nepal on 31 March 2026, say betting is illegal under the Criminal Code 2017. Sources also describe Section 125 as covering gambling. Land-based casinos are licensed separately, and the 2025 Kathmandu Post report says Nepali citizens are barred from them.
Is online casino legal in Nepal?
We found no official source that approves online casinos. The Ministry’s 2026 order told the telecom regulator to block betting apps and websites. This is not legal advice.
Can the government really block betting sites?
Reports say it ordered the blocks and that the telecom regulator told internet providers to carry them out. Officials also say VPNs make full blocking difficult.
If a VPN works, is betting legal in Nepal?
The sources we read give no basis for that. One law-firm page says a VPN does not create an exception. Ask a lawyer about your own case.
Is betting legal in Nepal, and where can I read the law itself?
The Nepal Law Commission publishes Nepal’s laws at lawcommission.gov.np. We could not open the English Code text on 5 October 2026, so please check it there or with a lawyer.
Sources
All sources were checked on 5 October 2026.
- Rising Nepal, “Govt pulls plug on betting platforms; 200 apps shut”, 31 March 2026. Checked 5 October 2026.
- Fiscal Nepal, “Nepal orders shutdown of betting apps within 24 hours”, 29 March 2026. Checked 5 October 2026.
- Khabarhub, “Over 10,000 betting apps and websites blocked in Nepal”, 15 April 2026. Checked 5 October 2026.
- Nepal News, “Govt shuts down betting apps in Nepal, but access continues via VPN”, 16 April 2026. Checked 5 October 2026.
- Khabarhub, “Nepal shuts down over 200,000 online betting apps and websites”, 24 July 2026. Checked 5 October 2026.
- Kathmandu Post, “Court starts hearing in illegal online betting case”, 11 July 2023. Checked 5 October 2026.
- Kathmandu Post, “Proposed casino law to tighten rules, curb foreign investment”, 18 May 2025. Checked 5 October 2026.
- Alpine Law Associates, “Gambling and Betting Law in Nepal” (law-firm commentary, not the statute; last reviewed September 2026). Checked 5 October 2026.
- Nepal Law Commission, home page (official text of Nepal’s laws; the English Code text could not be opened). Checked 5 October 2026.
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