Sri Lanka Latest Nation Using Gambling for Tourism

The parliament of Sri Lanka legalized casino gambling today in an attempt to revive a dormant tourist industry. Internal strife over almost thirty years has left the Asian nation seeking methods to bring tourists back, and gambling is a key to the government plan to raise tourism from $350 million annually to over $2 billion five years from now.

Some gaming was already permitted in areas of the country, but the new law provides a clear and deliberate regulatory framework, along with allowing the licensing of large destination casinos, such as those in Macau and Singapore.

Over two-thirds of the legislature approved the new gaming law, despite the opposition of an organized fundamentalist religious movement that recently spearheaded raids seeking to arrest performers in pornographic movies. Sri Lanka is mostly Buddhist, but also counts Christians, Muslims, and Hindu among its population.

The gambling expansion and organization was pushed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who considers building tourism a primary necessity to improving Sri Lanka’s overall economy.

Under the new system, both investment in gaming and revenue collection are expected to skyrocket. Bidders are already lining up for the chance to operate a projected $100 million casino at the center of a $500 million tourism zone to be located in the Beira Lake region.