Sri Lanka increases casino entry fees and gross collection taxes for 2026

Sri Lanka has increased its casino entry taxes and gross collection taxes for 2026, sending a formal notice to operators and businesses.

A formal notice of the Ministry of Internal Finance to casino operators and betting and gaming businesses in Sri Lanka on December 31 shows that the casino entry tax and gross collection tax will increase in 2026. This is implemented by the amendments to the Betting and Gaming Taxes Act, 1988 in the Betting and Gaming Taxes (Amendment) Act, 2025.

The casino entry tax (CEL) increased from $50 to $100, while the gross collection tax was increased from 15% to 18%.

“Any person who carries out a gaming activity in Sri Lanka shall collect a CEL of one hundred United States dollars or its equivalent in any other convertible foreign currency or Sri Lankan currency from a Sri Lankan citizen who enters into such a place of gaming activity, with effect from January 1, 2026,” the notice read. “The gross collection rate has been increased to eighteen percent with effect from January 1, 2026 on the gross collection from the bookmaker business or gaming business, if such gross collection exceeds Rs. 1 million per month.”

The evolving gaming sector in Sri Lanka

The second half of 2025 has been a period of change for Sri Lanka’s gambling sector, with President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, starting the process of reforming the country’s regulatory framework in June. Since December 1, the Gambling Regulatory Authority has been given responsibility for overseeing all gambling operations, becoming “the only independent regulator with a broad and comprehensive scope of action over operations in the gambling industry.”

President Dissanayake’s election platform centered on ridding the country of corruption and organized crime, with the fight against illegal gambling methods being at the forefront of these objectives. His gambling reform bill had already obtained the approval of the Attorney General, as well as that of his cabinet, when it was in draft bill form in February 2025.

Featured Image: Wikimedia Commonslicensed CC PAR 3.0

The position Sri Lanka increases casino entry fees and gross collection taxes for 2026 appeared first on ReadWrite.

Source link