Sri Lanka sets final Dec 31 target to publish gambling framework

The Gambling Regulatory Authority has missed its initial June target and a subsequent November timeline, leaving key rules for casinos, betting and online gambling pending.

Sri Lanka.- The Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) has set December 31 2026 as the new deadline to publish regulations covering casinos, betting and online gambling, following repeated delays in implementing the country’s new regulatory framework. GRA Director General Dr W.M.K.G.A. Wickramasinghe says regulations are being finalised after an international advisory team prepared the draft and a review committee examined the proposals before returning them to the GRA for finalisation.

The Gambling Regulatory Authority Act No. 17 of 2025 took effect on December 1 2025, establishing a single regulator for casinos, betting and online gambling. The first package of regulations is expected to cover licensing and fees, online gambling, anti-money laundering controls and the types of gambling authorised under the law. The authority had targeted June 30 for the publication of the first set of regulations, which it had intended to become fully operational by November 30. Once published, the regulations must be submitted to Parliament for approval within three months.

The delays have drawn criticism from members of Parliament’s Committee on Public Finance (COPF). COPF Chairman Dr Harsha de Silva said it was allowing potentially significant tax revenue to go uncollected. De Silva alleged that foreign-linked online gambling businesses were operating without adequate financial supervision and questioned the effectiveness of efforts to block illegal gambling websites. “There is a regulator, but there are no regulations,” de Silva said.

During parliamentary scrutiny in July, Inland Revenue Department (IRD) officials reported that Sri Lanka had six licensed casino operators, five of which were operational, alongside 37 licensed sports betting and horse-racing operators. However, no online casino operators were registered with the department at the time, despite numerous platforms reportedly targeting customers in the country.