Sri Lankan cabinet backs gambling tax amendments
Sri Lanka’s Cabinet has approved plans to raise the country’s betting tax, as well as double the casino entry fee for locals, following clearance from the Attorney General.
Nalinda Jayatissa, Cabinet spokesman and Health Minister, said a legal bill modifying the Betting and Gaming Levy Act had been prepared.
She added, “Clearance of the Attorney General too has been granted for the draft bill. The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal to publish the draft bill in the government’s gazette notification and subsequently to forward it to the Parliament for its approval.”
The 2025 budget proposed increasing the levy on gross gaming turnover from 15% to 18%.
The Betting and Gaming Levy Act is Sri Lanka’s primary law governing taxes on bookmakers and gambling operators. Under the act, operators are expected to pay an annual levy as well as a “gross collection levy,” which means they need to pay a set charge on revenue generated from betting operations.
It also includes an entrance fee charged to individuals entering casinos, which lawmakers want to raise from US$50 to US$100.
The government has utilized the gambling sector as part of broader efforts to boost state revenue while facing financial pressures.
Charlotte Capewell brings her passion for storytelling and expertise in writing, researching, and the gambling industry to every article she writes. Her specialties include the US gambling industry, regulator legislation, igaming, and more.
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