Oldest casino of Asia could close

“There is slim chance that NRC will pay its dues by Sunday since Saturday, the deadline, is a holiday,” under secretary at the ministry Keshab Prasad Bimali said. A staff at the centre said chances that royalty dues would be paid were almost nil. “Only a miracle can save NRC on Sunday,” he added.

On June 16, the Tourism Ministry decided to close down all NRC operated casinos, if it failed to clear its dues by June 25. The ministry had served notice on June 18 asking it to clear revenue dues or face closure of all casinos under it. A letter was also dispatched on June 19.

Currently, NRC operates four casinos — Casino Nepal at Hotel Soaltee, Casino Anna at Hotel Annapurna, Casino Tara at Hotel Hyatt Regency and Casino Everest at Hotel Everest. Casino Nepal is the oldest casino in Asia. It started operation in 1968.

The government has decided to close all the casinos since they are operating under the same company. Though Casino Tara and Casino Everest have cleared their dues, they will also be closed down, if the centre fails to clear the dues of casinos under it, the ministry source said.

Casino Nepal and Casino Anna still have to pay Rs 130 million and Rs 110 million respectively in royalty, according to the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI).

NRC said it has already handed over operating licence of Casino Anna to Shivam Entex and Casino Tara to a company owned by Naila Bista.

“The ministry’s decision will not change simply because the operation licence has changed hands,” a ministry source said, adding that operating licence of all casinos under NRC would be scrapped, since notice has been issued on scrapping the licence of all four casinos.

The action against casinos gathered momentum after the Public Accounts Committee grilled government officials and directed them to collect revenue dues at any cost or close them down. In December 2010, PAC had directed  The government to scrap the licences of casinos failing to clear their dues within 35 days.

“The department will collect royalty from the centre through auction of three ropani land and a house at Kalimati which is in the Centre’s name,” Director General of the Department Shanta Bahadur Shrestha said.