Casinos in Nepal reopened September, more than 18 months after they were forced to close due to Covid-19.
According to the Kathmandu Post, in March 2020 the government stopped issuing tourist visas to travelers from China, Japan, Italy, Iran and South Korea, all hit hard by the global pandemic. Nepal enforced a complete lockdown starting by the end of March, and the entire population was ordered to shelter at home to prevent spread of the coronavirus.
On September 23, the government ended a seven-day quarantine requirement and resumed on-arrival visas to all vaccinated foreign travelers in a bid to reboot tourism.
“The casinos were allowed to resume operations in line with the decision of the Kathmandu district administration office to permit business and social activities by following health safety protocols,” said Taranath Adhikari, speaking for the Tourism Ministry.
In addition, the government helped the struggling gaming industry by waiving annual royalty fees for the last fiscal year, which ended in mid-July.
The news was met with relief from tourism and hospitality officials. “More than half a dozen casinos including Casino Mahjong housed at the Hotel Soaltee, Casino Pride at the Annapurna Hotel, Casino Pride at the Hyatt Regency and Deltin Casino at the Kathmandu Marriott Hotel have already thrown open their doors to players,” said Surya Bahadur Kunwar, president of the Nepal Independent Hotel, Casino & Restaurant Workers’ Union (Central Committee). “Other casinos are gradually reopening.”
More than 15,000 gaming industry workers were laid off during the shutdown. “The hotels paid a minimum wage to their workers despite remaining closed,” said Kunwar. “The casinos did not lay off their employees, but they did not pay them any salaries. We hope the industry will recover, and workers will get their jobs back.”
