Sri Lanka will implement the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act, No. 17 of 2025, marking one of the most significant regulatory reforms in the nation’s gambling sector. The Act, gazetted by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on 16 November, consolidates three older statutes and establishes the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) as the country’s single unified regulator. Its enforcement arrives at a strategically important moment, just ahead of SiGMA South Asia 2025, which Colombo will host from 30 November to 2 December.
The new law replaces the Betting on Horse-Racing Ordinance, the Gaming Ordinance, and the Casino Business (Regulation) Act, bringing all forms of gambling under a modernised and centralised framework. The GRA will regulate licensing, compliance, permitted activities, restrictions, revenue controls, financial monitoring, and enforceable social responsibility rules. Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando clarified that the aim is regulation rather than expansion, emphasising the need to control risks associated with both land-based and online gambling.
Existing casino operators, including Bally’s, Bellagio, Casino Marina and Stardust, will now fall under the GRA’s direct oversight after years of operating under provisional registrations. The Authority’s board will comprise senior government officials, including representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Inland Revenue, the Financial Intelligence Unit, and law enforcement. The reform coincides with tax adjustments introduced in October, which increased levies on gross gaming collections and doubled local casino entry fees.
Sri Lanka’s gambling sector, valued at US$293.93 million in 2020 and projected to exceed US$410 million by 2026, is poised for further scrutiny and structural improvement. As global attention turns to SiGMA South Asia 2025, the activation of the Act signals Sri Lanka’s commitment to regulatory maturity and strengthened governance at a pivotal time for the nation’s gaming landscape.
