SRI Lanka bill to establish gambling regulator draws concerns over independence
SRI Lanka has approved a bill to establish a Gambling Regularisation Authority, following parliamentary review of the draft. An economist at Advocata argued in a commentary that the proposed authority would lack autonomy, with the finance ministry holding powers over appointments, rules, directives and funding; he also criticised the bill's coverage of lotteries and online betting.
The proposed regulator's powers and the bill's stated coverage could shape oversight requirements for casino, lottery and online betting operators.