A $50 fee to enter casinos in Sri Lanka is reserved for locals only, according to Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera. In addition to raising more revenues, the minister said frankly that the fee—which will not apply to foreign patrons—is intended primarily to discourage local residents from gambling.
Inside Asian Gaming reports that Sri Lanka’s casinos have been specifically targeted as a revenue source. Lawmakers recently doubled the annual license fee from LKR200 million (US$1.1 million) to LKR400 million (US$2.2 million) and added a 15 percent turnover tax on casino revenue. Both measures took effect April 1.
In addition, betting on cricket will soon be banned the island nation. The ban came at the request of Sri Lanka’s Minister of Transports and Civil Aviation Arjuna Ranatunga—a former cricket player.
According to Asia Gaming Brief, global gaming operators have looked at Sri Lanka as a possible new market; they include Australia’s Crown Resorts, the Las Vegas Sands Corp. and MGM Resorts International, and Caesars Entertainment Corp.
