Sri Lanka’s Gambling Regulatory Authority has set 31 December 2026 as its latest target for publishing regulations covering casinos and online gambling. The timetable follows earlier missed deadlines and growing scrutiny of the country’s ability to supervise gambling activity and collect related taxes.
Licensing and online oversight in focus
The Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance has raised concerns about revenue that may be going uncollected and online operators with foreign links that are not subject to adequate financial supervision. Figures presented to Parliament indicated that six casino operators held licences, five of which were operating, while 37 sports betting and horse-racing operators were licensed. Inland Revenue Department officials said no online casino operators were registered with the department at the time.
The first regulations are expected to address licensing fees, online gambling and anti-money laundering controls, alongside a ministerial order setting out permitted gambling activities. The government has already increased the gross collection levy for operators above a specified monthly threshold.
Why the deadline matters
Clear rules could determine how online operators obtain authorisation and meet tax and compliance obligations. Affiliates considering Sri Lanka traffic should monitor the publication and subsequent parliamentary approval process before treating the market as fully defined.