TLDR
- Sri Lanka blocked 24 unlicensed gambling and betting websites across the country.
- Blocked sites include Stake, Bet365, Betway, and 1xBet.
- The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission ordered internet providers to cut access right away.
- The action is based on the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act No. 17 of 2025.
- The law requires operators to hold both a general gambling license and a separate digital gambling license.
Sri Lanka has blocked access to 24 online gambling and betting websites. The Ministry of Digital Economy and the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka confirmed the move this week.
The blocked platforms include well known names such as Stake, Bet365, Betway, and 1xBet. None of these sites hold a license to operate in the country.
The order came from the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka. It instructed all telecom service providers to block the 24 sites without delay.
The news was first reported by the Sri Lankan outlet Ada Derana. The outlet also published a full list of the affected websites.
Other sites hit by the block include Betfair, Unibet, Dafabet, 22Bet, Melbet, and BC.Game. Parimatch, Mostbet, 1Win, and BetWinner were also named.
Authorities used the announcement to warn the public. They asked people to avoid placing money with any gambling platform operating outside Sri Lanka’s legal system.
Licensing Rules Under New Law
The block is based on the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act. Sections 15, 16, and 18 of the act set out the licensing rules for operators.
Under the law, any company offering gambling services must hold a valid license. Online operators face an added requirement of a separate digital gambling license.
The act also states that applicants must be incorporated or registered under Sri Lanka’s Companies Act. This applies to any operator that wants to serve customers in the country.
The law makes it an offence to advertise gambling activity that breaks these rules. This adds another layer of enforcement beyond just blocking websites.
Together, these rules create a dual licensing system. Operators need both a general gambling license and a digital specific one to operate legally online.
New Regulatory Framework
The Gambling Regulatory Authority Act came into force on December 1, 2025. It brought land based and online gambling under one single law for the first time.
Before this act, gambling activity was split across different sets of rules. Online betting and physical gambling venues were treated separately under older regulations.
The new law was designed to close that gap. It gives regulators clearer licensing paths and stronger tools to enforce the rules.
This week’s block of 24 websites is one of the first large scale actions taken under the new system. It shows regulators are now applying the law against platforms without local licenses.
The government says all gambling services used by people in Sri Lanka must follow the new act. Officials repeated that message directly to the public when announcing the blocks.
For now, the 24 sites remain blocked for users inside Sri Lanka. Authorities have not said whether more platforms could face the same action in the coming weeks.
