Best Online Casinos in Sri Lanka

Choose the Best Casinos for Sri Lankan Players

There are many criteria for choosing the best casino, and it can vary a lot by locality, perhaps surprisingly. Sri Lankan players will find that some things will be as important to you as there would be to players anywhere else on Earth. However, many issues are very much specific to Sri Lanka as a country.

For example, online security doesn't change much from country to country. By its very nature, security will be based on the same principles. On the other end, nobody outside Sri Lanka will be looking for a casino welcome bonus in Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR), for example!

We believe that our criteria as a review team will significantly benefit you, the reader, and current or potential new players from Sri Lanka. Here is a list of the requirements that, in our expert opinion, think should be used to determine which online casino or casinos are right for you.

Check for the Right Casino Licences

This subject is global, as it applies to everywhere on Earth equally. Similarly, although they come from specific companies, the same gaming licences are the same ones that are of the utmost importance the world over. 

The two most essential licences for casinos are those of the UK (put out by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, or UKGC) and Malta (put out by the MGA or Malta Gaming Authority). There are many reasons for this. 

These two regulatory bodies have the strictest standards and make online casinos comply with many rigorous processes to obtain, and maintain, a licence. These processes directly or indirectly benefit you, the player. 

This list represents what we consider the most important half of the authorities. It should be noted that, as of this writing, Sri Lanka itself doesn't have a regulatory body. Indeed, it doesn't have any legislation dealing with the issue of online gaming whatsoever. More specific information on this will be made available later in this article.

Generally, the more conservative and risk-averse Sri Lankans will want to stick with the best online casino sites licenced by the UKGC and MGA, or at least one. Other licences should be considered merely bonus offers.

Sri Lanka Casinos Payment Methods

Casino payment methods are essential in Sri Lanka, as they differ greatly from the European online casino markets. Some of the most popular methods are the eWallets like Neteller, Skrill and PayPal. Here is a list of some of the most common payment methods when gambling in Sri Lanka.

Customer Support Options

Customer Support is significant in a casino and often not counted as such. Of course, this is only true until a player runs into a problem and needs to use the customer support team. At that point, its importance becomes undeniable. Factors to ponder regarding the quality of an online casino's customer support include:

• Is customer support available 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
• Is it known by email? By chat? Telephone? (hopefully, all three options are available.)
• Are wait times to talk to a human being by chat or phone short?
• Conversely, are email response times fast?
• Is customer support personnel knowledgeable? And polite? Are they capable of solving your issues?

It's also worth mentioning that customer support for Sri Lankan players has to be eminently capable of solving problems from a Sri Lankan perspective. This means understanding the ins and outs of the Sri Lankan financial system, Sri Lankan tastes in gaming, etc.

Encryption of Casinos in Sri Lanka

As we talked about above, licences are essential. One of the main reasons they are so important is that they contribute meaningfully to an online casino having a tight security regimen. Naturally, apart from verifying a couple of licences, a Sri Lankan player should also confirm the following. When browsing an online casino experience and trying to determine its level of security, be aware of:

• Is its encryption strong and up to date?
• Do third parties audit the site for security (apart from the licencing bodies)
• Does the site hire cybersecurity experts, like penetration testers, to regularly review the site's security?
• Does the site make privacy a priority?
• Does the site keep any personal data from the players? If so, precisely what data and how long do they keep it?

Safe Sri Lankan Gambling Sites

The good news is that almost all this information can be found quite easily in most online casinos. Also, online casinos have been getting safer and safer on average as time goes on, and people wake up to just how important online security is.

Generally, you have to scroll down the main page of an online casino to find most or all of the relevant information mentioned above, including licences and security schemes. If you still haven't seen every bit of info you require, you may click on "about us" or similar to find it.

Bonuses Available in Sri Lankan Rupees

Many online casinos ignore the Sri Lankan Rupee when giving out otherwise generous bonuses. However, things are beginning to change rapidly in this super-competitive industry.

Many top casinos, such as Jackpot City Casino, Ruby Fortune, Gaming Club, Spin Casino and Royal Vegas, have offered excellent bonuses for Sri Lankan players. These bonuses are available in their currency. In fact, as of this writing, over 90 different casinos have now taken Sri Lanka into account and are offering casino bonuses of all kinds and types in Sri Lankan Rupees.

Good Comments of Sri Lankan Players

This is another criteria that are useful wherever you are in the world. It's another often overlooked thing that is much more important than people think. 

People who take the time to give an online casino a glowing recommendation anywhere on the internet speak volumes about that casino's quality and how it treats its players. Please make sure to be reading these comments from a reputable source, one that makes sure not to allow any spam or shilling.

Our Favourite Sri Lankan Casinos

We have discussed the criteria for reviewing online casinos for Sri Lankan players. At this point, we'd like to recommend a shortlist of our favourites, the online casinos we think will be most amenable to Sri Lankan customers today.

Besides the above criteria, we have also thought simply of the shared tastes and preferences of the Sri Lankan player market, which we feel is also important. The following casinos are listed in order, starting with our favourite of them all:

Mobile Casinos in Sri Lanka

Once again, the short answer to this question is: yes, you can. Mobile casino apps have been trending towards using browser-based versions of their games, like online slot machines, roulette, card poker, progressive jackpot games, and scratch cards, even for mobile users lately. This is mainly because Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store don't play nice with online casinos.

So, instead of having to play tricks to install an app on your phone, it's often easier for the casino to have a mobile version. It's essential to ensure that this will run on Safari, Chrome, etc. 

Statistics show that over half of all online casino gaming was done from mobile devices worldwide. This is likely a trend that will continue along the same lines soon.

Is Gambling Legal in Sri Lanka?

The short answer to this question is: yes, gambling is legal in Sri Lanka. This includes both online gambling and brick-and-mortar gambling in real-life casinos. However, there are some legal caveats to the above.

Online Gambling Laws in Sri Lanka

Technically, online gambling is legal in Sri Lanka because it hasn't been recognized or addressed in any way, shape or form. As of the date of this writing, there is no legislation whatsoever. This means that Sri Lankan players don't have a regulatory body to appeal to at the national level.

In any case, international licences like the online casinos in the UK with UKGC and MGA will continue to be necessary. This is the case even if some Sri Lankan regulatory body is being established for online gambling in the future.

Law for Land-Based Casinos

Unlike online gambling in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan national government regulates and controls land casinos. These laws hold the country's brick-and-mortar casinos to very strict standards. The industry itself generally considers these standards to be reasonable. Testament to the above is the fact that Sri Lanka's brick-and-mortar casino industry appears to be flourishing.

Minimum Gambling Age in Sri Lanka

As was just stated in the above paragraphs, for online gambling, there are no regulations in place as yet. It should be noted that many online casinos, especially the big international ones, have their own rules.

It is very unlikely that someone under 18 years of age will even get the chance to participate in an online casino at this point. Therefore, underage gambling in Sri Lanka is not to be considered a major issue by any means. 

Despite the lack of laws on Sri Lanka's side, the providers tend not to allow it. For brick-and-mortar casinos, one must be 21 in Sri Lanka to even enter such premises, according to current Sri Lankan laws.

At any rate, this site cannot, in good conscience, recommend minors to engage in activities such as online gambling. This would be, among other things, contrary to industry best practices. It would also be illegal for most online casinos, with good reason.

Favourite Games of Sri Lanka Players

Sri Lankans tend to love gaming in general. Different versions of games where people would gamble have existed for millennia in Sri Lanka. This would include both local and imported games from parts of the Asian subcontinent. 

A game selection from all of Asia, in general, made its way to Sri Lanka eventually. In Modern Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan tastes aren't far from world tastes. Nobody anywhere on Earth will be surprised by Sri Lankan tastes in gaming. This is something we can say with confidence.

As stated before, sports betting has been a long-standing tradition in Sri Lanka, which continues to go up to the present day. These days, sports betting is more diversified and changing rapidly with the advent of eSports betting and such.

We expect eSports to soon overtake Sri Lanka instead of traditional sports for sports betting. We can confidently say this in the future because this is already starting to happen in other countries. 

As for the best casino games, Sri Lankan tastes aren't very surprising. They are very much in line with international standards. They like slots and table games like poker, blackjack, baccarat, and roulette, developed by the top games providers like Microgaming, Bally and Netent.

Live Casino Games With Sri Lankan Dealers

While this one took a little research, there are live games with Sri Lankan dealers. Our team was able to spot three different casinos where you can participate in games with live dealers from your own country if you are Sri Lankan:

• Betfair Casino;
• Mansion Casino;
• Bellaggio Casino;
• 888 Casino;
• Genesis Casino.

This is something that is expected to increase in the future, probably. Many game providers and top online casinos have struck deals with brick-and-mortar casinos worldwide to have tables streamed live from their premises, using their staff as live dealers, croupiers etc. 

It's possible that such a deal could be struck shortly with one of Sri Lanka's many excellent brick-and-mortar casinos.

History of Gambling in Sri Lanka

Surprisingly for many non-Sri-Lankans, the country has a long history of legal gambling in various forms. This is because gaming has historically been legal going back throughout the centuries. 

Horse racing took over the Sri Lankan gambling scene in the post-industrial world, as it was incredibly popular with the local population. Horse racing became a big deal in Sri Lanka as far back as the 1840s. The first significant racetrack was built in Colombo in 1922. This track is still used to this day., to the delight of its fans.

It dominated the scene so much that it wasn't until the 1990's that other sports became common to bet on in the country. That is not to say it's not still popular, however. Current regulations didn't come into play until the year 2010, however. These regulations included taxing the sports betting industry, which allowed for increases in public spending.

The Future of Online Gambling in Sri Lanka

In any case, the future is impossible to predict by one hundred per cent. However, discussing what will probably happen shortly in Sri Lanka regarding online casinos is feasible. We will predict that the following will happen:

• Sri Lanka's national government will likely hand down regulations on the industry shortly
• These regulations will likely favour taxing the industry, although some provisions may also be made for things like responsible gambling initiatives.
• The above may slightly negatively affect Sri Lankans' return to player (RTP), especially at first, as the industry adjusts.
• The industry will continue to grow in Sri Lanka, regulations or not.
• The competitive nature of the industry will generally favour Sri Lankan players.
• More and more and better bonuses will be available to Sri Lankan players.
• There will be more and more things like live Sri Lankan dealers for gaming at online casinos.

Land-Based Casinos in Sri Lanka

A second gambling bill was passed in 2015 after a new government. Regulations were further tightened on land-based casinos. These governmental measures resulted in cancelling new casino constructions in Sri Lanka resorts. 

The new legislation increased taxes and licencing fees on existing brick-and-mortar casinos. Despite the more recent, more strict regulations and heavier tax burden, the brick-and-mortar casino scene in Sri Lanka continues to flourish and probably will continue to do so indefinitely.

However, it's doubtful that gambling will ever even come close to being made illegal at this point in Sri Lanka. This is because it has long since become an entrenched industry, and to do so would mean increased unemployment, something no government wants to be responsible for forever! 

We believe there is plenty of room for both brick-and-mortar and online gambling worldwide, and Sri Lanka is no exception. Here is a list of the bigger casinos in Sri Lanka:

The Ritz Club

• Address: 5 Galle Face Terrace, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Phone: +94 11 2341496
• Slot machines: 140

Continental Club

• Address: 425 Galle Road, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Phone: +94 11 2595432
• Slot machines: 230

Crown Club

• Address: 290 Galle Road, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Phone: +94 11 2310310
• Slot machines: 90

Bally's Casino

• Address: 14 Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Phone: +94 115 556 555
• Slot machines: 110

Bellaggio Casino

• Address: 430 Duplication Road, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Phone: +94 75 588 6688
• Slot machines: 190

Tokyo Club

• Address: 502/1 Galle Face Terrace, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Phone: +94 117 936 929
• Slot machines: 210

Kollupitiya Casino

• Address: Kollupitiya, Sri Lanka
• Phone: N/A
• Slot machines: 240

MGM Grand Colombo

• Address: 170 Galle Road, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Phone: +94 112 502 268
• Slot machines: 170

Star Dust Casino

• Address: 9 15th Lane, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Phone: +94 112 375 900
• Slot machines: 70

References

• Sri Lanka Passes Law to Regulate Gambling Industry (BBC)