🇱🇰 Sri Lanka Blocks 24 Gambling Sites

⭕ The Gambling Regulatory Authority, through the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka, has ordered all internet service providers to block access to 24 unlicensed gambling platforms with immediate effect. These include Bet365, Stake, Betway, 1xBet, 22Bet, Melbet, Unibet, Betfair, Dafabet, 1Win, 10Cric, BC. Game, Pin-Up, Mostbet, Parimatch, and others.

⭕ This is not an online gambling ban in Sri Lanka. These platforms have been blocked because they operate without a licence under the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act No. 17 of 2025.

⭕ The Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) has actively pushed for the implementation of the Gambling Regulatory Authority’s mandate to clamp down on the unregulated grey market, protect consumers, and prevent illegal online gambling advertisements.

⭕ Sri Lanka’s online betting industry is projected to exceed US$410 million by 2026. Officials estimate that as many as 70% of Sri Lankan bettors have been using offshore gambling platforms.

⭕ Gambling is one of the few industries in which the house always wins by design. A 2024 UC San Diego study tracking more than 700,000 online gamblers in the United States found that 96% lost money overall, while only 4% finished ahead, highlighting how the odds are structurally stacked against players.

⭕ Several recent reports indicate that online gambling is becoming a serious social problem in Sri Lanka. Families across the island have reportedly taken out loans, pawned assets, and borrowed from informal lenders to sustain gambling habits.

⭕ Online gambling has also been identified as a growing concern, particularly among members of the police and armed forces. Awareness programmes on the risks of online betting have been conducted within these institutions to educate personnel about the dangers of gambling addiction.

⭕ While the government’s latest action targets unregistered operators, Sri Lanka still needs a comprehensive regulatory framework for the industry before online gambling develops into an even larger social crisis.

#SriLanka