Urgent Gambling Help in Nepal: What to Do Now

Gambling-related harm can become urgent when you feel unable to stop, are under pressure from losses, fear what may happen next, or are thinking about harming yourself. You do not need to solve everything at once. First, create distance from gambling and connect with another person.

If you may harm yourself

If you are thinking about suicide or believe you may act on those thoughts, call Nepal’s National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1166. The number is confirmed by the government hospital information page for the helpline. If you cannot keep yourself safe, seek immediate help from local emergency or health services, or go to a hospital. Ask a trusted person to stay with you while you seek help.

Move away from gambling websites, applications and payment screens. Put physical distance between yourself and anything you could use to hurt yourself. Do not remain alone if being alone makes the situation more dangerous. A short message such as “I am not safe by myself right now; please stay with me” can be enough to start getting support.

Take the next ten minutes

Do not chase a loss, place another bet, borrow money to continue, or make a major financial decision while distressed. Close active gambling sessions and put your phone somewhere another person can hold if that helps. Avoid alcohol or other substances that may make impulsive decisions more likely.

Tell someone what has happened in plain language: how much pressure you feel, whether money is missing, and whether you are having thoughts of self-harm. If speaking is difficult, show them this guide or send a short message. The immediate aim is not to explain every transaction; it is to reduce risk and bring another person into the situation.

Protect your accounts and money

If an online gambling service, payment account or unknown person may have accessed your money, stop sending further funds. Do not pay a supposed “release fee”, “tax”, “verification charge” or recovery fee merely because someone demands it. This guide cannot establish whether a particular service is fraudulent, and it cannot promise that funds will be recovered.

Contact the relevant bank or payment provider through a channel you already know to be genuine. Ask what protective steps are available for your account and whether the transaction can be reviewed. Keep a written record of when you contacted the provider and any reference number they give you.

Preserve evidence before deleting anything

If you suspect online financial fraud, retain the information that can help an official review. The Cyber Bureau’s reporting instructions identify documents, URLs, screenshots and contact channels as relevant material. Save these items without editing them:

• the gambling or payment service URL and any account or transaction reference;
• screenshots of balances, deposits, withdrawal messages and warnings;
• payment confirmations, bank statements or wallet records;
• emails, messages, phone numbers and usernames used to contact you;
• dates, amounts and a brief timeline of what happened.

Do not publish another person’s private information or send passwords, one-time codes or full card details to an unverified contact. Store copies securely and provide them to the appropriate authority or financial provider through its official channel.

Report suspected online financial fraud

The Nepal Police Cyber Bureau reporting guidance explains the material and contact channels used for reporting online financial fraud. Follow the instructions on that official source and give a factual account. State what you know, what you do not know, how money moved, and which records you have retained.

A report is not a finding that a person or service committed an offence. Avoid exaggerating or guessing. If several people are involved, describe each role only to the extent supported by your records. Keep the submission confirmation or reference details for later communication.

Complain about a regulated payment service

For a complaint involving a regulated bank or payment service, the Nepal Rastra Bank grievance portal, Gunaso, is the official channel identified in the supplied evidence. Use the provider’s complaint process as appropriate and retain copies of your messages, transaction details and responses.

The portal is for regulated banks and payment-service complaints. It is not evidence that an online gambling operator is regulated, licensed or approved. If your issue concerns a gambling service rather than a regulated financial provider, describe the payment facts separately from your concerns about the service.

Contact the gambling-control authority

The Ministry of Home Affairs lists an official Lottery and Gambling Control service contact. This may be relevant when you need to raise a gambling-control concern with the responsible government service. Use the contact information shown on the official source at the time you submit your concern.

Give dates, URLs, messages and transaction information where relevant. Do not present an allegation as an established fact. The contact listing does not, by itself, confirm the legal status of a specific operator or resolve a payment dispute.

Choose the right next step

Reduce access after the immediate crisis

Once you are with someone safe, make gambling harder to reach. Sign out, remove saved payment details where possible, and ask your bank or payment provider what account protections are available. Give control of spare funds or devices to a trusted person temporarily if you consent and it is safe to do so.

You can also use the site’s responsible gambling information for practical risk-reduction ideas. If you need help making a complaint or organising records, the complaints guide can help you separate evidence, allegations and unanswered questions. These internal guides do not replace medical, emergency, financial or legal advice.

mhl.gov.np

Frequently asked questions