23 Indians arrested in Nepal for running online gambling racket

February 11, 2025

23 Indians arrested in Nepal for running online gambling racket

As many as 23 Indians were arrested in Nepal’s Bagmati province on charges of operating an online gambling racket. As per news agency PTI, the arrests were made in a two-storey building in Budhanilkantha Municipality, located 10 km north of Kathmandu, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Apil Kumar Bohara.

The 23 Indian nationals were arrested red-handed when the police raided the building based on a tip-off. Police also seized Rs 81,000 cash ($932), 88 mobile phone sets, and 10 laptops from their possession. Nepal Police further said the arrested individuals are being charged under the Himalayan nation’s anti-gambling act.

This is not the first case to come to light, as many similar arrests have recently been made. Cross-border online crime has been increasing in Nepal, posing challenges for law enforcement. Earlier this month, a joint operation by the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office (KVCIO) and District Police Range (DPR), Lalitpur, led to the arrest of 24 people -10 Indians and 14 Nepalese—for running an online betting operation from two rented houses in Sanepa, Lalitpur. The group allegedly handled transactions worth Rs 3.04 billion ($35.2 million) over six months through various betting apps.

Superintendent of Police Kaji Kumar Acharya said a special police team raided the houses in Sanepa after receiving a tip-off. The suspects were allegedly luring people into online betting and using Indian bank accounts for transactions.

During the operation, police confiscated 57 mobile phones, 13 laptops, 34 ATM cards from different banks, 88 SIM cards, 12 chequebooks, eight Aadhaar cards, and six passports. The investigation revealed that the accused had conducted transactions amounting to Rs 3,047,356,612 ($35,080,000).

Last month, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) busted an international online scam that defrauded Nepali citizens of hundreds of millions of rupees.

Online gambling has become a growing concern in Nepal, with authorities uncovering multiple illegal operations over the past year. In June 2024, another major operation led to the arrest of six individuals involved in running an online gambling platform called Wolf777 Casino. As per probe, the group had facilitated gambling transactions worth Rs 240 million($2.77 million) within just two months, according to a report.

Nepalese authorities have warned that such gambling networks often operate through international websites and offshore accounts, making them difficult to trace. However, with recent arrests and stricter enforcement, the police aim to dismantle these illegal operations.

As per Nepali law, all forms of online gambling are strictly prohibited. Hence, those involved in illegal betting face heavy fines and potential imprisonment. Authorities have urged the public to remain cautious and avoid such platforms, as these gambling platforms often exploit users financially and operate without any consumer protection measures.