Sri Lanka GRA Sets 31 December Deadline for Casino and Online Gambling Regulations After Repeated Delays
The GRA has set a 31 December deadline for new regulations after missing June and November targets. Rules drafted by an international advisory team are under final review. This addresses illegal gambling concerns and aims to boost tax collection, which totaled US$44.9 million or 0.57% of IRD revenue in 2024.
SCCG Take — Repeated delays highlight capacity gaps in the new regulator. Operators should ready compliance plans for the forthcoming rules and 2026 tax changes.
Sri Lanka’s Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) has set 31 December as its target date to publish casino and online gambling regulations, according to Inside Asian Gaming. The body missed its original June target and was unable to meet the 30 November deadline.
The update comes from local media outlet The Sunday Morning, which cited comments from GRA Director General Dr. W.M.K.G.A. Wickramasinghe. Wickramasinghe confirmed the December timeline. The regulations were initially drafted by an international advisory team, sent to a review committee and are now back with the GRA for finalization.
Delays Amid Proliferation of Illegal Gambling
The delays come amid growing concerns over the proliferation of illegal gambling across the country. Information provided to parliament recently revealed that there are six licensed casino operators in Sri Lanka of which five are currently operational, as well as 37 licensed sports betting and horse-racing operators. None of the online operators had been registered with the Inland Revenue Department (IRD).
Tax Collection Targets Drive Regulatory Push
Improving tax collection across the industry is seen as a key reason for establishment of the GRA. The IRD’s 2024 Annual Performance Report showed that the Government collected Rs 9.81 billion (US$29.5 million) through the Betting and Gaming Levy and Rs 5.1 billion (US$15.3 million) in casino license fees. Total collections from the two categories came to Rs 14.91 billion (US$44.9 million), or 0.57% of the department’s total reported revenue.
The Government has since increased taxes on gambling businesses, with the gross collection levy rising from 15% to 18% from 1 January 2026 for operators whose monthly gross collections exceed Rs 1 million. It has also doubled the casino entrance levy charged on Sri Lankan citizens from US$50 to US$100 per person.
The GRA was established under the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act No. 17 of 2025, which came into effect on 1 December 2025. The new December target provides a concrete timeline, yet the repeated missed deadlines raise questions about the regulator’s readiness to implement and enforce a unified framework for casinos, betting and online gambling.
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