CoPF approves Gambling Regulatory Authority Bill

Friday, 15 August 2025 05:43 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) has approved the Bill to establish the Gambling Regulatory Authority.

The Bill was approved at the CoPF meeting held on Tuesday under the Acting Chairmanship of MP Rauff Hakeem, as Chairman MP Dr. Harsha de Silva is overseas.

The Bill was discussed on several occasions in the CoPF and it provides for the establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority as an independent regulatory body with a broad scope to standardise betting and gaming establishments in Sri Lanka, minimise social harm, develop the tourism sector, and promote economic growth.

Furthermore, the Committee considered and approved the Resolution under Section 10 of the Customs Ordinance (Chapter 235) regarding import duties published in the Extraordinary Gazette No. 2434/02 dated 28 April 2025, the Order under Section 3 of the Excise (Special Provisions) Act, No. 13 of 1989 published in the Extraordinary Gazette No. 2434/04 dated 28 April 2025, and the Regulation under Section 19 read with Section 51 of the Finance Act, No. 35 of 2018 regarding luxury tax on motor vehicles published in the Extraordinary Gazette No. 2434/05 dated 28 April 2025.

The meeting was attended by Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe, MPs Ravi Karunanayake, Dr. Kaushalya Ariyaratne, Lakmali Hemachandra, and Nishantha Jayaweera.