The ice-and-rock avalanche that triggered the devastating Bhote Koshi flash flood on August 26, 2026 opened a direct economic front for Nepal’s casino sector, protecting the flow of foreign tourists that supports hotels, restaurants and gaming floors while the country mobilises resources for rescue and reconstruction. The emergency hit Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Tanahun particularly hard, damaging roads, bridges, homes and hydropower infrastructure and affecting more than 90,000 people. The government estimates reconstruction needs of at least US$4 billion, with scenarios approaching US$5 billion.
The gaming sector’s exposure lies in its close connection to tourism. Kathmandu hosts Deltin Nepal/Maharaja The Royal Casino, Casino Mahjong, Casino Bally’s and Casino Pride, while Tiger Palace forms another casino-hotel hub in Rupandehi; Bhairahawa, Birgunj, Nepalgunj, Biratnagar and Jhapa complete a network that is especially connected to Indian visitors.
That regional market has significant scale. Nepal received 71,775 international tourists in July 2026, up 2.3% year-on-year. India contributed 23,490 visitors, representing 32.7% of the total, while China accounted for 11,099, a 61.1% increase from July 2025 and 8.7% above the July 2019 level. In fiscal year 2082/83, India was Nepal’s largest source market with 311,531 tourists, while China contributed 109,892. These are nationwide tourist arrival figures, not exclusively land-border crossings.
Hikmat Singh Ayer
The disaster threatens precisely this commercial chain; border and mountain tourism - foreign visitor - hotel - dining - casino - jobs and tax revenue. The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), led on an acting basis by Hikmat Singh Ayer, decided on August 30 to establish a dedicated Information Desk for missing tourists and strengthen coordination between public agencies and tourism-sector representatives.
Khadak Raj Paudel
Gaming supervision falls under the Department of Tourism, headed by Ramkrishna Lamichhane, under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, led by Minister Khadak Raj Paudel (Ganess) and Secretary Mukund Prasad Niraula. The Department administers the Casino Rules 2082 and maintains specific AML/CFT, targeted financial sanctions and risk-based supervision guidelines for operators.
The humanitarian response is also coordinated by the Ministry of Home Affairs, headed by Sudhan Gurung, with Rajkumar Shrestha serving as Home Secretary. The government opened contributions to the Prime Minister’s Natural Disaster Relief Fund and the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, while the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority transferred NPR67.5 million to 15 affected municipalities for search, rescue and immediate relief.
“Gaming already has a clear humanitarian precedent. Following the 2023 Jajarkot earthquake, the Casino Association of Nepal coordinated a NPR3.5 million contribution to the national relief fund: Deltin Casino, Casino Mahjong, Mahjong Nepalgunj, Casino Palace Nepal, Casino Pride, Casino Bally’s and Casino Vegas each donated NPR500,000”.
That precedent now positions the casino industry as a sector capable not only of protecting tourism flows and employment, but also of rejoining the humanitarian response as Nepal rebuilds one of its main sources of foreign exchange.
