{
  "id": 259018,
  "title": "Sri Lanka expands ban on gambling sites",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/sri-lanka-expands-ban-on-gambling-sites",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-07T08:10:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/08/07/sri-lanka-expands-ban-on-gambling-sites"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Sri Lankan government has further expanded its ban on gambling sites, adding 98 more portals to the list of those to be blocked. This comes as part of a broader crackdown on unauthorized gambling activities, according to the digital economy ministry. Online gambling is permitted in Sri Lanka, provided operators obtain a license and pay a fee to the government. The ministry noted that the recently banned sites were operating without the necessary authorization. Among the sites included are stake.com, bet365.com, betway.com, and 1xBet.com. The government cautioned that investing in such unlicensed sites is illegal. Despite the ban, Sri Lankan internet users can still access the blocked sites by employing Virtual Private Network (VPN) software.",
  "summary": "Another 98 sites were added to the list of portals to be blocked in Sri Lanka, two days after 24 major gambling sites were banned.",
  "key_points": [
    "Sri Lanka adds 98 more gambling sites to ban list.",
    "Online gambling permitted with proper licensing.",
    "Unlicensed sites operate illegally despite ban."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}