Applications received for ten new casinos: State Minister

10 January 2024 02:15 pm Views - 2606

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana

Parliament, Jan. 10 (Daily Mirror)- Applications have been received for ten new casinos but the government is yet to grant its approval, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya informed Parliament today.

The State Minister came out with this information in response to a question raised by MP Venerable Athureliye Rathana Thera on the move by the government to allow new casinos in Colombo, Kandy and Jaffna.

“We have brought in new laws pertaining to casinos and therefore a sum of Rs. 500 million will be charged when granting a license for a period of five years. We also intend to increase entrance fees for casinos. Our intention is to discourage locals from going into casinos,” the State Minister said.

“We have to introduce casinos to attract tourists so that it would be possible to increase state revenue. If not, we will have to depend on taxes charged from locals to increase state revenue,” he added.

The Venerable Thera who responded said the government has already granted licenses to two new casinos including one in Kandy. 

“One wonders whether the government expects people to visit casinos in Kandy after worshiping the Sacred Tooth Relic,” he said.