The Nepal Telecommunication Authority has successfully shut down over 223,000 online betting websites and applications, responding to government reforms aimed at curbing illegal financial activities.
This initiative, part of a broader agenda released on March 27, specifically tasked the Ministry of Information and Communication with closing such platforms within 24 hours.
Despite these efforts, many sites have re-emerged under new names, prompting the authorities to take further action, particularly during the FIFA World Cup, which heightened concerns over the use of betting apps.
To combat this issue, the authority has established a dedicated task force and collaborated with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block the URLs of these illegal platforms. Assistant Director Omprakash Mahato noted the challenges in identifying and shutting down numerous websites, as new ones frequently appear.
The authority employs a 'Thread Intelligence Tool' for more efficient tracking and closure of these sites, and has allocated additional resources to enhance their efforts. Stakeholders are encouraged to report illegal websites through a designated link for prompt action.
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