Sri Lanka Blocks 24 Unlicensed Gambling Sites

The Sri Lankan government has instructed telecommunications providers to block access to 24 gambling websites that were operating without local licences.

According to local reports, the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) issued the order following a request from the country’s newly formed Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA).

The affected websites include several internationally recognised betting brands, such as Bet365, Stake, Betway, 1xBet, Unibet, Betfair and Dafabet. Other blocked platforms include 22Bet, Melbet, 1Win, BC.Game, Megapari, Pin-Up, Mostbet, Parimatch, Betwinner, Linebet, 4rabet, Rajabets and DBBet.

Authorities stated that the websites were offering gambling and betting services to players in Sri Lanka without obtaining the required local authorisation.

Although online gambling is not prohibited in Sri Lanka, operators must hold a valid licence under the country’s regulatory framework. Businesses that provide gambling services without approval may face penalties under Section 44 of the applicable legislation.

The government has also advised the public to avoid using unlicensed offshore gambling platforms and warned against depositing funds with operators that do not comply with local regulations.

The latest blocking order marks one of the country's most significant enforcement actions since Sri Lanka began overhauling its gambling regulatory framework.