The casino had resumed operations two and half months ago. The Ministry of Home Affairs said the gaming house was shut down on the request of the Tourism Ministry. “Following Home Ministry’s orders, a team of tourist police and personnel deployed from the Metropolitan Police Circle, Durbar Marg, closed down the casino,” said Home Ministry Spokesperson Laxmi Dhakal.

The government for the first time enforced the Casino Regulation on July 16 last year, introducing strict policy measures, to clamp down on casinos habitually defaulting taxes and disregarding rules that bar Nepalis entry.

On April 19, all the casinos in Nepal were declared illegal as none of them obtained new operating licences by the deadline (April 18). The government had ordered the casinos to pay their outstanding royalty dues and obtain new operating permits as per the regulation.

An estimated 3,500 employees were out of their jobs after 10 casinos—eight in Kathmandu and two in Pokhara—were told to shut down.