Kabita Nepali, Who Scaled Everest and Lhotse, Seen Promoting Illegal Betting Platform in Documentary

Kathmandu: Mountaineer and artist Kavbita Nepali, who rose to fame after climbing Mount Everest and Lhotse, has been found promoting the illegal online betting platform Melbet. In her documentary No Limits, released on October 24, Nepali appears to promote the betting site despite gambling being completely banned in Nepal.

The documentary, which features her climbing two peaks above 8,000 meters in the first week of Jestha, includes clear instances of Melbet branding. From 18 minutes 54 seconds to 18 minutes 57 seconds, Nepali is seen showing a thermos displaying the Melbet logo. The same platform has long been operating illegally in Nepal, using surrogate advertising methods to bypass legal restrictions.

At the end of the documentary, the company logos of sponsors and supporters are displayed, including the Melbet logo. Although she does not mention Melbet by name in the video, the inclusion of its branding indicates a promotional collaboration.

Melbet has repeatedly been accused of attracting Nepali youth toward online gambling. Earlier, Kantipur Max HD, owned by Kantipur Media Group, and several other outlets also faced controversy for promoting the same platform.

Despite the ban on gambling and betting in Nepal, Melbet continues to reach millions of Nepali users through different web domains. A TechPana report published in Jestha revealed that the platform was attracting over 885,000 monthly visitors, with 99 percent of the traffic coming from Nepal. Although its reach has declined recently, Melbet has resumed aggressive marketing ahead of the Nepal Premier League (NPL).

Even though it is banned, Melbet’s website still displays the logos of Nepali digital wallets such as Khalti, eSewa, CellPay, IME Pay, Connect IPS, Prabhu Pay, My Pay, and Moru Pay, apparently to make transactions easier for local users.

Under Section 3 of the Gambling Act 2020, gambling or any related activity is strictly prohibited in Nepal. Section 4 of the same Act prescribes punishment for those engaging in such acts. Similarly, Section 5(1)(b) of the Advertisement (Regulation) Act 2066 bans any advertisement that encourages gambling or promotes lottery sales not allowed under Nepali law.

 

पछिल्लो अध्यावधिक: कात्तिक १८, २०८२ ११:१०

टिप्पणीहरू