The Kathmandu metropolitan city office revealed that in just a week’s time, it collected Nepalese Rs 8.4 million from five casinos. The local government has not yet received payment from two further casinos for the unpaid entertainment tax.
The city administration gave the casinos a seven-day deadline last week to pay back unpaid taxes or face sanctions. If the casinos did not abide by the deadline, the municipal government threatened to take legal action.
In a letter sent to Kathmandu’s seven casinos in the first week of September, the city’s revenue department ordered that they pay their entertainment levies within a week. These casinos, according to Shivraj Adhikari, chief of the city’s Revenue Department, haven’t sent the city any taxes since fiscal year 2018-19.
Adhikari stated that every casino is required under the province’s Financial Act to pay the local government 50 Nepalese Rupees as entertainment tax for each customer. Due to the casino owners’ persistent refusal to answer calls from government bodies, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City was compelled to deliver the letters.
The following casinos, according to the city authorities, have paid the unpaid entertainment taxes after receiving the notice.
- Deltin Casino, Marriott Hotel
- Casino Palace, Hotel De L’ Annapurna
- Pride Entertainment and Recreation, Hyatt Recency
- Casino Mahjong, Hotel Soaltee
- Balco Casino, Hotel Aloft
- Bally’s Nepal Casino, Malla Hotel
The two casinos that have not yet paid the taxes are:
- Casino Rad, Radisson Hotel
- Royal Casino, Hotel Yak & Yeti
It is being said that the two casinos have stopped operating due to the non-payment of their dues. From the many casinos operating in Nepal, the government had received royalties totaling Nepalese Rs 810 million earlier this year. Prem Bahadur Ale, the Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, gave this directive, and the royalty amounts were collected in accordance with it.