Sri Lanka Delays Gambling Rules to 31 December
Sri Lanka's new Gambling Regulatory Authority has missed two of its own deadlines and now aims to publish its first casino and online gambling rules by 31 December 2026. Until then the country has a regulator but no published rules.
Quick Take
- The Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) now aims to publish its first casino, betting and online gambling rules by 31 December 2026 (iGamingToday, Focus Gaming News).
- It missed 30 June, the original date for publishing the rules, and 30 November, when it had planned to be fully operational.
- The first package is expected to cover licensing and fees, online gambling, anti-money laundering controls and which types of gambling are authorised. Parliament must approve it within three months of publication.
- Until the rules exist, there is no way to tell what a licensed online casino will look like in Sri Lanka.
A Regulator Without Rules
Sri Lanka’s Gambling Regulatory Authority Act No. 17 of 2025 took effect on 1 December 2025 and put casinos, betting and online gambling under one regulator. The detailed rules have not followed. The GRA missed its first target of 30 June 2026 for publishing them, and later a plan to be fully operational by 30 November. Its director general, Wickramasinghe, now says the target is 31 December (iGamingToday; Focus Gaming News).
What the First Package Should Cover
Both reports say the first set of rules should cover licensing and fees, online gambling and anti-money laundering controls, together with the types of gambling the law authorises. After publication Parliament has three months to approve them. An international advisory team drafted the rules and a review committee sent them back to the GRA to finalise (Focus Gaming News).
The Market Today
Parliament was told in July that Sri Lanka had six licensed casino operators, five of them operating, and 37 licensed sports betting and horse-racing operators. Tax officials said no online casino operators were registered with the Inland Revenue Department, although many platforms reportedly target Sri Lankan customers (iGamingToday; Focus Gaming News). Harsha de Silva, who chairs Parliament’s Committee on Public Finance, criticised the delay for leaving tax revenue uncollected and said foreign-linked online operators lack adequate financial supervision.
What It Means for Players
Until the rules are published and approved, there is no published licensing route for online casinos, so a site that says it is “licensed in Sri Lanka” cannot yet point to the new rules. Check the regulator and the licence number rather than the claim, and read how to check a casino licence. The SiGMA South Asia summit takes place in Colombo from 30 November to 2 December, according to SiGMA’s 2026 tour calendar, and rules may be discussed there, but we have no confirmed agenda.
📌 In our view: the practical date to watch is 31 December, and then the three-month approval window in Parliament. Another missed deadline would not be a surprise given the record so far, so treat any date as a target, not a promise.
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18+ only. Unsubscribe any time. See our privacy policy.FAQ
When will Sri Lanka publish its gambling rules?
The regulator now aims for 31 December 2026, after missing 30 June and 30 November.
What will the first rules cover?
Licensing and fees, online gambling, anti-money laundering controls and which types of gambling are authorised.
Does Parliament have to approve them?
Yes. The reports say Parliament must approve the rules within three months of publication.
Are online casinos licensed in Sri Lanka today?
Parliament was told no online casino operators were registered with the tax department. Check any licence claim with the regulator.
Sources
↗ iGamingToday — Sri Lanka sets December 31 deadline for delayed casino and online gambling rules ↗ Focus Gaming News — Sri Lanka sets 31 Dec deadline for delayed gambling rules18+ only. Gambling laws differ by country and change quickly — check the rules where you live. If gambling stops being fun, BeGambleAware and GamCare offer free, confidential support.