‘Hima Bet’ Misuses Paras Khadka’s Photo, Promotes Illegal Betting Through Street Posters

Kathmandu: Although gambling and betting are completely banned in Nepal, illegal betting platforms continue to advertise both physically and digitally. Hima Bet, which previously drew attention for illegally using the photo of former national cricket captain and CAN Secretary Paras Khadka, has now been found promoting itself by posting posters on electric poles in various public places, including Nepalgunj in Banke district near the Indian border.

A poster featuring a QR code was spotted on a pole in front of Shikhar Aluminum Decorator on Muktipur Road in Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City. The poster shows what appears to be a photo of Indian cricketer Virat Kohli, promoting Hima Bet during the recently concluded Asia Cup.

Anuj Ansari, the owner of the aluminum shop, confirmed that the poster had been pasted on the pole outside his business and even provided a photo for verification. Although the color has faded, other images received by TechPana via email show Hima Bet posters openly displayed in at least four different locations in Nepalgunj.

This is the same betting platform that previously ran illegal digital advertisements using Paras Khadka’s image.

Hima Bet placed Khadka’s photo on its website homepage and social media posts to falsely suggest endorsement. Khadka later condemned the act publicly, saying, “My attention has been drawn to the use of my name, photo, and related symbols for advertisements and other purposes on various social media platforms without my permission or knowledge. I have no involvement in such activities, and despite repeated reports, it is condemnable to ignore them and damage my dignity.”

He further stated, “The use of someone’s name, photo, and related symbols without their permission is prohibited by law. I sincerely request everyone not to spread or follow such misleading information.”

Police Inspector Jivraj Thapa, Information Officer at the District Police Office, Banke, said the police will investigate such open illegal advertising. He told TechPana, “We will prioritize this case. The advertisement must have targeted the Asia Cup and the upcoming Nepal Premier League.”

Similarly, CIB spokesperson SSP Shiva Kumar Shrestha confirmed that an investigation will proceed, saying, “Betting is illegal. We are examining both online and physical advertisements in the concerned areas.”

Hima Bet has been active in Nepal for a long time and gained attention during last year’s Nepal Premier League (NPL). At that time, a police team from Banke arrested 15 individuals for betting through Hima Bet, Meta Bet, and Tab 66. The same platform has now resurfaced through street-level advertising in the same district.

Although betting and gambling are outlawed, these platforms continue to promote themselves through surrogate and illegal means. It has been more than three years since the government banned online betting platforms, but enforcement remains weak. Earlier, Hima Bet used the domain HimabetNP.com, targeting Nepali users. After it was banned, the site rebranded as HimabetNPR.com to bypass restrictions.

The platform continues to reach millions of users by boosting social media posts. Last year, TechPana reported that Hima Bet spent millions of rupees producing a video advertisement filmed in the Himalayas, released on January 21, 2025, which has since gained over 6.4 million views.

Although its website once featured photos of Nepali players, those images were removed after Paras Khadka’s public objection.

However, the platform still maintains bank accounts under Nepali names and provides customer service via Nepali phone numbers.

On its website, Hima Bet openly claims to be an “excellent betting platform,” while live chat representatives describe it as an online casino. According to Whois Lookup, the HimabetNP.com domain was first registered in 2023, showing a pattern of repeatedly changing domains to avoid government bans.

Nepal’s Gambling Act 2020 defines gambling as any game involving a monetary bet based on chance, and its Section 3 prohibits such activities. Likewise, Section 5 of the Advertisement (Regulation) Act 2066 bans all advertisements encouraging gambling.

The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has been blocking betting websites since 2079 BS, showing a warning notice citing Section 121 of the Criminal Code Act 2074 BS when users attempt to access banned sites.

However, due to weak monitoring, these platforms continue to operate. For example, even though OneX Bet’s official site is blocked, it runs under OneXBetNP.com, attracting 3.5 to 4.5 million monthly visitors, making it the 15th most visited website in Nepal.

Despite this, the NTA, the regulatory body, appears to have remained a silent observer, allowing illegal betting sites like Hima Bet to operate openly.

 

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