NewSin at the top of the world: Hong Kong company to turn Nepal into next gambling hub after Macau
‘Within a day’s drive of the Nepal border, there are 400 million Indians living in an area which will soon have easy access to top-quality gaming,’ says Tim Shepherd, founder of Hong Kong casino operator, Silver Heritage
It might sound like an exotic idea to gamble on opening a casino at the foot of the Himalayas.
Yet for 400 million Indians inhabiting the north of the subcontinent, particularly the booming nouveau riche, just a few hours’ drive across the border could soon unlock the euphoria of splurging in their chosen game of chance, fully legally.
A little-known Hong Kong company, which is Australian-listed, operating casinos in communist Laos and Vietnam has placed its biggest bet yet on a sprawling US$40 million (4.1 billion Nepalese rupees) casino resort in Nepal, just 12 km from the Indian border.
The lavish property is around 330 km away from Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state and one of the most prosperous cities in India
With the ongoing rise in the number of wealthy Indians, the “mountain kingdom” – sandwiched between two Asian superpowers, with a population of just 29 million – is increasingly being touted as the next Asian casino capital, with many drawing parallels with Macau’s rapid ascend to the top of game, propelled by gambling-obsessed affluent Chinese.