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.
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Sri Lanka To Form Gambling Regulatory Authority Under New Bill
Sri Lanka advances with a new bill declared by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, intending to form a new Gambling Regulatory Authority to oversee the betting and gaming sector.
The draft legislation, once established, will replace the existing regulations with a single framework. If approved, the law will overrule 3 longstanding laws that currently govern the sector: the Horse Racing Betting Ordinance, the Gambling Ordinance, and the Casino Ordinance. The previous regulations were implemented in 2010, highlighting the need for a change in Sri Lanka.
Currently, gambling is limited in the country, mainly permitted at casinos such as Bally’s in Colombo and on horse racing events like those held at the Royal Turf Club in Nuwara Eliya. However, it is still unclear whether the new bill would extend legalization to other popular forms of gambling, such as sports betting on cricket, or enable the establishment of new casinos.
The Gambling Regulatory Authority will watch over all gambling activity, enforcing compliance among operators, potentially addressing taxation and revenue generation means.
The proposal got Cabinet approval in April, and the next step is parliamentary debate. The ruling National People’s Power (NPP) party holds 159 seats in the 225-member legislature, so the bill looks well-positioned to pass.
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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