Responding to draft guidelines prepared by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA), the finance ministry on Tuesday clearly said Nepalis should be completely barred from casinos.[break]
In the draft forwarded to the finance ministry on January 4, MoTCA had proposed allowing big taxpayers with annual turnover of Rs 250 million or above in casinos through a separate entrance. The ministry had proposed entrance fee of Rs 5,000 per person.
An official at tourism ministry have termed MoF´s response on the draft as ´interference on its policy´. “We had forwarded the draft to MoF, seeking its suggestions only on monetary issues,” the official added.
The proposed guidelines state that casinos will have to clear all their outstanding dues and must pay license renewal fee of Rs 250,000 on annual basis. It has also fixed minimum capital of Rs 250 million for new firms to acquire operating license.
The Finance Ministry has also instructed the tourism ministry to shut down electronic gaming operations and not to issue new license. The ministry has licensed three firms for electronic gaming operations.
Earlier, MoTCA had shut down electronic gaming operations following the instruction of parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC). But the firms resumed operation after the apex court issued stay order against the MoTCA decision. Later, MoTCA refused to renew their operating license, stating that it was drafting bylaw on electronic gaming. The firms had then moved the apex court again the decision.
“We can´t shut operations of electronic gaming firms as instructed by the finance ministry because the case is sub-judice at the apex court,” the official added.
MoTCA will have to take up the matter to the cabinet before finalizing the bylaws.
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