Though casinos are meant only for the foreigners and restricted to Nepali, these gambling houses, operating in the five star hotels of the capital have been allowing the Nepalis for their own benefit. Perhaps they are keeping their eyes blindfolded for the sake of benefits.

Among four casinos in Kathmandu, three are thriving on the local gamblers under the sun and the moon - although illegally.

It is hard for Nepalis to venture in the Casino in the Hotel Soaltee Crown Plaza, however rest of the three - Everset Casino at Hotel Everest, Royal Casino at Hotel Yak and Yeti and Casino Anna at Hotel Annapurna keep their doors open round the clock, preying on the locals.

Nepali gamblers were allowed to try their luck in the casinos in the initial stage. But once they started to bait their hard earned money in the gambling, strong public opinion against Nepalis going to the casinos compelled the government to restrict them to enter the gambling house nearly about two decades ago.

However, in practice it was never so. Deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Amar Singh Shah at the valley police office, Ranipokhari also admits the fact that many local gamblers visit the casinos usually.

He says, “Hotels and casinos have their own security system to prevent locals from entering the gambling house and we don’t have enough manpower to monitor them twenty four hours, still we raid if anyone concerned complains.”

Casinos are operating under the licence from the ministry of tourism, culture and civil aviation in the condition that their licences could be terminated if they are found enjoying the locals in their establishments.

But, it has never happened so in practice. The police had raided all three casinos five years ago following the joint complaint of the family members of the local gamblers. Some of them had been taken into the custody for a night but many influential ones were released immediately with respect. Still, the casinos were never penalised.

Regardless of the existing state of emergency, not only the commoners but people retaining the post of ministers themselves have been found gambling in the casinos late at night. A couple of months ago present state minister for external affairs himself was found playing roulette in the Everest Casino in a drunken state. The government did not take any notice of the News.