Nepal Mandates Casinos to Report High Rollers Under New Anti-Money Laundering Directive

Casino operators in Nepal are now required to monitor and report any customer who spends over NPR1 million (approximately $7,400) within a 24-hour period, under a newly issued directive by the country’s Department of Tourism. The measure is part of the “Directive on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism Related to Casino Operators (Designated Non-Financial Businesses), 2025,” as reported by G2G News.

According to the directive, all gaming establishments must closely track both single and cumulative transactions per customer that equal or exceed the NPR1 million threshold on a daily basis. Once identified, these transactions must be reported to Nepal’s Financial Information Unit (FIU) within fifteen days, using the GoAML platform or other reporting formats approved by the agency.

Nepal’s FIU serves as the national center for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating financial intelligence to law enforcement and regulatory authorities. The unit also works in cooperation with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit and is a member of the global Egmont Group network, which connects financial intelligence agencies worldwide.

In addition to the reporting threshold, the directive lays out a series of stringent compliance measures for casino operators. These include the establishment of advanced internal surveillance systems, comprehensive risk assessment procedures, and enhanced customer due diligence protocols. Operators are also tasked with identifying politically exposed persons (PEPs) and verifying the origin of funds used for gambling purposes.

This directive follows closely on the heels of new entry conditions introduced by the government just a week earlier under the revised Casino Regulation 2080 BS. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation raised the minimum paid-up capital requirement for casino license applicants to NPR200 million (around $1.48 million), a significant jump from the prior threshold of NPR150 million (approximately $1.11 million), which had been applied to mini-casinos operating modern or electronic gaming systems.

The tightening of oversight reflects a broader push by the Nepali government to bring its gaming sector into closer alignment with global anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards.

By fLEXI tEAM