Bet365 among major online betting sites banned in Sri Lanka amid illegal gambling crackdown
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Sri Lanka’s government ordered local internet providers to bar access to 24 major gambling sites, although VPN software could still bypass restrictions.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
- Sri Lanka has banned access to 24 major online betting sites, including bet365 and stake.com, to crack down on illegal gambling.
- Online gambling is legal but operators are required to register and pay licence fees in Sri Lanka.
- Local internet providers must enforce the ban immediately, though VPNs may still allow access; investing in banned sites is illegal, says the government.
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COLOMBO - Sri Lanka has blocked access to some of the world’s largest online betting sites as part of a crackdown on unauthorised gambling, the Digital Economy Ministry said on Aug 5.
Online gambling is legal in Sri Lanka, but operators must register with the authorities and pay licence fees.
The government ordered local internet providers to bar access from Sri Lanka to 24 major gambling sites – although VPN software could still bypass restrictions.
The authorities also warned Sri Lankans that investing in those sites was illegal.
The banned sites include stake.com, bet365.com, betway.com and 1xBet.com.
“All telecom service providers have been ordered to implement the ban with immediate effect,” the ministry said in a statement. AFP
