Says Gurmeet Singh, a Delhi-based businessman, “I come with my family to Nepal once in two years and we spend a lot of time in casinos as I feel these are very family kind of place.” In fact, there is a special room with attendants for children where they can rest and play.

The casinos in Kathmandu are open 24 hours and players are offered complimentary drinks and food. Then there are special entertainment programmes by local bands or special dance troupes at night which keep the visitors in high spirit.

Says Sandhya Gupta, a Kolkata-based executive who had come to Nepal on a package tour. “I have come here with a group of friends and casinos are real fun. One can spend the whole day here and get to see interesting things like music performances, live band and enjoy good food.”

Dos And Don’ts If you are losing at one table, it’s better that you move out after the game is complete. Do not prolong decision making. It’s not fun for other players when they have to wait forever for you to make decisions. Refrain from betting actions like folding your hand, until the action comes to you. Take out the amount of chips that you intend on betting. Do not make the other player think that you’re betting more than you actually are.

Out of all the six casinos in Nepal, Casino Royale is the oldest and attracts around 500 people every day. The multi-cuisine restaurant and a well equipped bar add up to the visitors’ delight. Similarly, Casino Everest is equally popular with tourists because of its proximity to the airport.

For players there are many games to bet on, but for beginners, black jack and roulette are good ones to start with. And for the experienced ones there are flush, poker, mini flush, pontoon and baccarat. Slot machines are also equally popular particularly since stakes are very low.

“Black jack is a very popular game in casinos in Nepal. It is based on calculations and logic and with a bit of research, one can make money,” says Mr Wadhwa. “There are a few who have made millions out of playing black jack,” he adds.

Betting and stakes start from a few thousand Indian rupees and can go up to a few lakhs depending on the player. Players have to buy tokens and bet on the desired table. If they win, they are given reward tokens which can be encashed.

One can see lot of plain clothed security personnel keeping an eye on revellers and those who try to act smart.

The travel for the story was sponsored by Update Recreation & Gaming Pvt Ltd.