Sri Lankan casino entry fee of $50 is applicable only to nationals

Sri Lankan Government has clarified that the previously proposed $50 casino entry fee would only apply to nationals. Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister, Mangala Samaraweera, clarified that the proposed $50 entry fee would only apply to nationals and residents of the tiny South Asian island nation. The purpose of the levy would be to discourage locals from gambling at casinos.

Sri Lankan lawmakers also presented a plan for a drastic increase in the annual license fee casino operators are required to pay. In addition, casino owners will also be obligated to pay a 15% tax on their full-year gambling turnover.

Samaraweera said that the government is preparing to roll out a framework for the regulation of gambling in the country. The adoption of a new framework was a prerequisite under Sri Lanka’s anti-money laundering law.