Thursday May 01, 2025
Thursday May 01, 2025
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In a bold step toward streamlining gaming and betting laws, the Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved publishing the draft Bill on Gambling Sports Regularisation Act in the Government gazette and presenting the same in Parliament for approval. The move paves the way for a long-awaited overhaul of rules.
“The Gambling Sports Regularisation Act has received the clearance of the Attorney General and the draft Bill will now be published in the Government Gazette before being submitted to Parliament for approval,” Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday.
Addressing the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday, he said the authority is a powerful independent body tasked with overseeing and regulating all gambling-related activities in the country including offshore, onshore and online streams.
“The proposed authority will serve as the sole national regulator with a broad mandate, covering areas such as offshore gambling sports on ships and in the Colombo Port City, online gambling platforms and offshore casinos,” he added.
The proposal for the new authority stems from an earlier Cabinet decision made on 24 February 2025, to draft legislation (https://www.ft.lk/front-page/Gambling-Regulatory-Authority-gets-Cabinet-approval/44-773471).
The move marks a significant shift in how Sri Lanka governs the rapidly evolving gambling landscape, especially amid growing concerns around unregulated gaming and betting as well as its socioeconomic implications.
The Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) on the number of occasions has called on successive Governments to expedite the establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority, citing major loss of revenue to the State coffers.
The CoPF highlighted that despite physical casinos being taxed, the booming online gambling industry remains largely untouched, insisting swift action to bring online casinos under financial oversight and the need to establish a long-awaited Gambling Regulatory Authority
(https://www.ft.lk/front-page/CoPF-urges-fast-tracking-of-Casino-Regulatory-Authority%C2%A0/44-774072).
Dr. Jayatissa said the goal is to introduce a comprehensive and transparent regulatory framework that brings all gambling-related operations under a single, accountable oversight mechanism. This includes ensuring compliance with legal standards, proper revenue collection and enhancing investor confidence and measures to mitigate social harm related to gambling.
The proposal to this effect submitted by President Anura Kumara Disanayake was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
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