COPF directs monitoring mechanism for casino machine imports: Harsha

Colombo, June 24 (Daily Mirror) - The Committee on Public Finance (COPF) has directed the creation of a special mechanism to monitor the importation of casino machines, while approval was granted for the importation, its Chairman Harsha de Silva said yesterday.

“The government came to the Committee to remove import restrictions imposed during the crisis. I realised that Casino equipment was also in that list. So with the concurrence of the committee, I directed them to create a special mechanism to monitor every casino machine to be imported,” Dr. de Silva told Daily Mirror

“With regard to the casino regulator, it has so many shortcomings; the law is only to establish the regulator, but regulations must be legislated to manage the operations of the casinos. In Singapore, there are two laws; one is the regulator and the other is to control the casino operations. My worry is that the government is going to legislate junket operations, but with no regulations to monitor. The other major issue is with online casinos with no regulation and no tax,” he added.