Best online casino sites in Sri Lanka (2023)
Sri Lanka is an island country with rich history, located in South Asia and formerly known as Ceylon, until 1972. After gaining its independence from its various occupants, many years of political unrest followed. Yet even before the civil war devastated it, gambling in Sri Lanka had already been established in locals’ everyday lives. While numerous establishments were apparent though, it was not until 2010 that casinos in Sri Lanka came under a proper legal framework. However, the online sector wasn’t addressed and remains unregulated up to this day. That of course leaves plenty of options for players to access literally any online casino that accepts them. Keep reading to discover operators that will bring you a plethora of slots and games, along with bonuses and local currency fast payments.
Trusted online casinos in Sri Lanka
If you just can’t wait to start playing, here’s a list of the best online casinos in Sri Lanka that players can access. You can find great bonuses, many games to choose from and fast, secure transactions. Check them out and choose the ones that suit you best.
Top Sri Lanka Casino Sites
How we rate a top online casino in Sri Lanka
Since online gambling in Sri Lanka is unregulated, players are facing an ocean of choice before them; that’s where we come in, making your choice easier by pointing out a few major characteristics that make an online operator stand out from the crowd.
Extensive Range of slots and games
That’s normally what players are after as soon as they sign up with an operator and Sri Lanka online casino sites are not an exception. With over 1,000 slots to choose from, live dealer games, blackjack and roulette, you won’t have any complaints whatsoever.
Great bonuses
We’re also pretty sure a hefty bonus will draw your attention when searching for the best online casino in Sri Lanka. Welcome bonuses are usually in the form of ‘100% up to €100 or 35,000 LKR + 100 free spins’ or consist of welcome packages up to 325,000 LKR; figures that can indeed hook you up. As always, don’t neglect to read the T&Cs to ensure that you’ve fully understood what’s on offer.
Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) availability
Conversion fees is something players constantly try to avoid; when picking an online casino in Sri Lanka, there are thankfully some international operators who offer local currency transactions so make sure you check our suggestions above.
Transparency and reliability
Playing at a legitimate operator is of paramount importance. The Sri Lanka casino online market is no stranger to reliable operators, which you may find in our exhaustive list in this article; stick to it to have a pleasant and safe gambling session.
Top providers
Having the opportunity to play games from the best and most acclaimed providers is yet another sign of a top-notch Sri Lanka online casino. In our list of operators, you’re going to find game titles from the biggest names, such as NetEnt, Play ‘n GO and Evolution Gaming.
Handy mobile version
The last decade saw a real boom regarding the use of mobile devices worldwide; gambling naturally followed and that’s why our featured best Sri Lankan online casinos are also ones that offer their players fully functional mobile versions of their sites.
How does a casino online in Sri Lanka operate
Regardless of the local gambling sector being legalised just in 2010, there was plenty of action going on before that. Many gambling facilities were open to the public, with less or even no state control at all. Yet even the 2010 Casino Business Act did not touch the online sector, with online gambling in Sri Lanka remaining unregulated even as we write these lines. The fact that operators need to acquire a licence before offering their services only applies to land-based casinos. As a result, there is no locally accredited online casino; all the operators we list are, therefore, internationally acclaimed ones. The state, on the other hand, does not try to prevent or ban access to online casinos in Sri Lanka, leaving plenty of room for players to make their choices. No penalties or fines have been reported whatsoever.
Is online gambling in Sri Lanka safe?
The issue of safety has always been among players’ top concerns. In a country that neither regulates nor bans online activity, gambling in Sri Lanka can be safely practised with one major issue in mind; which is opting for a legitimate operator in the first place. Picking one should not be that tough of a task; however, it’s more convenient to just pick a Sri Lanka casino online from our listed options. That way, you’ll make sure you’re using a totally legitimate operator since every single one of them is picked by our team after carefully examining crucial safety aspects. Using a VPN is not necessary since there is no active blocking for local players, so just pick which site suits you best each time and enjoy a safe gambling session.
How to deposit at online casinos in Sri Lanka
When players search for an online casino, Sri Lanka offers many options regarding their online transactions. Either in the form of credit card payments or through e-wallets like Skrill, Neteller and Ecopayz, fast and reliable transactions are at your disposal. In addition, crypto transactions may not be officially accepted by the local government; however, they’re not outlawed either. An increasing number of operators allow for Bitcoin and Ethereum transactions, giving you the option of total anonymity and lightning-fast processing times. All in all, we can say that players opting for the best online casino in Sri Lanka have a really wide array of options ahead of them.
The future of online gambling in Sri Lanka
It’s already been over a decade since local authorities tried to apply a legal framework over gambling in Sri Lanka. What we can say is that there have only been talks around the legalisation of the online sector, without any proper plans ahead. Players already visit top Sri Lanka online casino sites without the fear of being caught in the act and getting punished for that. Leaving us thinking that things can only take a turn for the better, especially taking into consideration the increasing internet penetration in the area. More and more locals are slowly gaining web access; up till then, a quite welcoming environment awaits online players with plenty of options to choose from.
The local law framework does not actually ‘touch’ online gambling issues. Land-based activities are only addressed, practically allowing players to access any online casino that will accept them. No reports of blocking sites could be found either.
As a matter of fact there are a few brick and mortar facilities that can be found mainly in the capital city of Colombo. Other than that, players are left with an abundance of online gambling options to choose from.
As long as you have access to a legitimate crypto exchange platform like eToro or Crypto.com, you may use crypto in Sri Lanka. The state does not encourage, yet still does not ban cryptos either, leaving the choice entirely up to you.
In the absence of a legal framework that would ban accessing online gambling sites, we can certainly say that gambling online is not viewed or treated as an illegal pastime. Players are free to join any of their preferred sites, as long as they abide by their set of rules.
The rather heavy 14% tax on players’ winnings only applies to land-based activities, meaning when you visit an actual casino and win some money. On the other hand, there’s no law applying to your online activity, meaning you get to keep all you win when visiting an online casino in Sri Lanka.
The truth is that the local currency is not a really popular one, if we may say so among online casinos; however, you will manage to get your hands on a few providers like 1xBet, Melbet or 22Bet, who actually offer you the opportunity to play your favourite games without the hassle of currency conversions.