From January 1, 2026, Sri Lanka doubled casino entry fees for gamblers who are residents of the country, increasing the price from $50 to $100.Initially, the reforms...
Sri Lanka to enforce new gambling regulator in December
Sri Lanka’s new Gambling Regulatory Authority Act, No. 17 of 2025, will take effect on December 1, after being officially announced by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The law creates a single, independent regulator to oversee all gambling activities in the country; a major overhaul of Sri Lanka’s gambling framework.
Under the Act, the newly established Gambling Regulatory Authority will be responsible for regulating casinos, online gaming, offshore gaming operations, and betting activities. This includes betting conducted on ships and within the Port City of Colombo.
When it becomes effective, the new law will repeal three current pieces of legislation: the Betting on Horse-Racing Ordinance, the Gaming Ordinance, and the Casino Business (Regulation) Act of 2010. Existing operators will be required to align their operations according to the regulations imposed by the new Gambling Regulatory Authority.
John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH) and Melco Resorts & Entertainment (Melco) recently announced the grand opening of City of Dreams Sri Lanka on August 2, 2025.
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