During the recent meeting of the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF), it was revealed that despite legal prohibitions, online casinos operate openly in Sri Lanka, depriving the state of significant revenue without facing any consequences.
Dr. Harsha de Silva, Chair of the committee, directed that a letter be sent to the Minister of Finance, urging immediate attention to this issue.
The matter was discussed in depth at the Committee on Public Finance, chaired by Dr. de Silva, according to the Communication Department of Parliament. The committee emphasized the importance of establishing a Casino Regulator to address these concerns effectively.
Officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank concurred, stating that many issues related to casinos could be resolved with the establishment of a regulatory authority. The Chair instructed the officials present to expedite the necessary legislation to establish this regulatory body, highlighting its importance for attracting foreign investors and securing government revenue from the casino industry.
Following these discussions, the committee reviewed and approved the Regulations and an Order under Section 4 read with Section 3 of the Casino Business (Regulation) Act No. 17 of 2010. Additionally, the committee approved the Notification under Section 27 of the Welfare Benefits Act, No. 24 of 2002.
State Minister Dr. Suren Raghavan, and Members of Parliament Nimal Lanza, Mayantha Dissanayake, Chandima Weerakkody, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, Harshana Rajakaruna, and Madhura Withanage attended the committee meeting.
