{"id":18005,"date":"2026-08-11T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/?post_type=asia&#038;p=18005"},"modified":"2026-08-10T22:43:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T03:43:55","slug":"sri-lanka-blocks-122-betting-sites-as-former-pogo-activity-shifts-in","status":"publish","type":"asia","link":"https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/asia\/sri-lanka-blocks-122-betting-sites-as-former-pogo-activity-shifts-in\/","title":{"rendered":"Sri Lanka blocks 122 betting sites as former POGO activity shifts in"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sri Lanka intensified its crackdown on unlicensed online gambling in August 2026, ordering the blocking of <strong>122 betting websites in less than a week<\/strong> while new reports pointed to the arrival of former Philippine offshore gaming operators and foreign workers linked to online gaming activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/landing\/multigame-link\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/multigame-diamod-III-700-eng.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9622\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/multigame-diamod-III-700-eng.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/multigame-diamod-III-700-eng-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/multigame-diamod-III-700-eng-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On <strong>August 6<\/strong>, authorities moved against <strong>24 major platforms<\/strong>, including <strong>1xBet, Betway, 22Bet, Melbet, Unibet, Betfair, Dafabet, Bet365, 1Win, Spinbetter, 10Cric, BC.Game, Megapari, Pin-Up, Stake, Mostbet, Parimatch, Betwinner, Linebet, 4rabet, Rajabets, DBBet, Coldbet and WinWin<\/strong>. A day later, <strong>98 additional sites<\/strong> were added to the blocking orders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"722\" height=\"442\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/sri-lanka-blocks-122-betting-sites-as-former-pogo-activity-shifts-in2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18007\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/sri-lanka-blocks-122-betting-sites-as-former-pogo-activity-shifts-in2.png 722w, https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/sri-lanka-blocks-122-betting-sites-as-former-pogo-activity-shifts-in2-300x184.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 722px) 100vw, 722px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Eranga Weeraratne<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The enforcement process involves the <strong>Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA)<\/strong>, the <strong>Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL)<\/strong> and the <strong>Ministry of Digital Economy<\/strong>. The TRCSL, chaired by <strong>Waruna Sri Dhanapala<\/strong>, instructed telecom providers to restrict access. <strong>Eranga Weeraratne<\/strong>, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, has confirmed that the new gambling framework applies across Sri Lanka, including <strong>Colombo Port City<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"838\" height=\"541\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/sri-lanka-blocks-122-betting-sites-as-former-pogo-activity-shifts-in3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18008\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/sri-lanka-blocks-122-betting-sites-as-former-pogo-activity-shifts-in3.png 838w, https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/sri-lanka-blocks-122-betting-sites-as-former-pogo-activity-shifts-in3-300x194.png 300w, https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/sri-lanka-blocks-122-betting-sites-as-former-pogo-activity-shifts-in3-768x496.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The legal basis is the <strong>Gambling Regulatory Authority Act No. 17 of 2025<\/strong>, approved by Parliament on <strong>August 19, 2025<\/strong> and certified on <strong>September 3, 2025<\/strong>. The law replaces the previous fragmented regime and gives the GRA powers to license, inspect, investigate, suspend and cancel operators, including online businesses. It also links gambling supervision with AML rules under the <strong>Prevention of Money Laundering Act No. 5 of 2006<\/strong> and the <strong>Financial Transactions Reporting Act No. 6 of 2006<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/mve-ads\/?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/ADS-MVE.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16352\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/ADS-MVE.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.mundovideo.com.co\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/ADS-MVE-300x250.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The escalation comes as new reporting indicates that former <strong>Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs)<\/strong> and workers from <strong>China, the Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia<\/strong> are shifting activity toward Sri Lanka, including Colombo Port City and local BPO structures. Recruitment offers reportedly range from <strong>US$1,200 to US$2,000 per month<\/strong>. Sri Lankan authorities have also detained <strong>more than 1,000 foreign nationals in 2026<\/strong> during raids linked to online gaming and cybercrime, although officials have not said that all were connected to POGO operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sri Lanka intensified its crackdown on unlicensed online gambling in August 2026, ordering the blocking of 122 betting websites in less than a week while new reports pointed to the arrival of former Philippine offshore gaming operators and foreign workers linked to online gaming activity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18006,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2323,1488,5037,15,11,102,585,2345,105,2595],"class_list":["post-18005","asia","type-asia","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sin-categoria","tag-asia","tag-ban","tag-casinos-online","tag-gambling","tag-illegal-gambling","tag-online-betting","tag-online-gambling","tag-philippines","tag-sports-betting","tag-sri-lanka","entry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.6 - 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