Sri Lanka will officially implement its Gambling Regulatory Authority Act from 1 December 2025, as per a notification by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the Gazette, according to local media outlet Daily Mirror.
The Act – which establishes a new gambling regulator tasked with the collection of gambling-related revenue, ensuring transparency and good governance in gambling operations and preventing illegal gambling activities – was passed by the Sri Lankan parliament in August and certified by Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne in early September.
The official implementation date for the Act comes after parliament recently set a target date of 30 June 2026 to formally establish the new gaming regulator, the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA).
Among the key reasons outlined for implementing a relatively swift timeline was the absence of any system to collect tax revenues from online operators. Officials revealed during the meeting that between 60% and 70% of casino users in Sri Lanka now play online, with only 30% to 40% attending physical casinos.
It was noted at the time that six casino licenses have been issued for land-based casinos but online casino operations remain unregistered and untaxed, the report stated.
Officials also noted that Sri Lanka would be reviewed next year by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing compliance, so establishing the GRA would go a long way towards satisfying expectations.
Separately, the Sri Lankan cabinet recently approved a proposal in the country’s 2025 budget that will see the betting levy increased and casino entry fee for locals doubled.
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