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Contents

Part III · Licensing of Gambling and Certificate of Registration of Premises

33. Gambling Software

Official English translation. The Sinhala text prevails. Open the official Sinhala text, official PDF on documents.gov.lk

(1)

A person shall not develop, distribute, or operate gambling software except under the authority of a licence issued by the Director-General appointed under the provisions of section 39 of this Act for that purpose.

(2)

Every application for the issue of a gambling software licence shall include –

(a)

detailed specifications of the gambling software, including its features, functionalities, and intended use;

(b)

compliance certifications from accredited third-party auditors confirming the software’s adherence to applicable standards; and

(c)

information on data protection measures and safeguards against unauthorized access or manipulation.

(3)

A gambling software shall not –

(a)

include mechanisms designed to mislead users regarding odds or outcomes;

(b)

enable participation by individuals below the legal gambling age;

(c)

facilitate unlicensed or unauthorized gambling activities; and

(d)

operate without transparent algorithms audited and certified by the prescribed authority.

(4)

The developer and the distributor shall –

(a)

not distribute, sell, or make available the gambling software through unregulated platforms; and

(b)

ensure that the software is only accessible to entities holding a valid gambling licence;

(c)

ensure that every gambling software includes-

(i)

user-accessible tools for self-imposed limits on spending time, or losses;

(ii)

prominent warnings about the risks of gambling addiction and links to support resources; and

(iii)

mechanisms to identify and restrict access by individuals registered in self-exclusion programs;

(d)

comply with the provisions of the Personal

Data Protection Act, No. 9 of 2022 to safeguard users’ personal and financial information; and

(e)

implement robust measures to prevent unauthorized data collection, sharing, or breaches.

(5)

The provisions of sections 16, 21 and 23 to 32

relating to application for licence, display of licence, form and duration of licence, renewal of licence, reasons to be communicated, amendments to a licence, restrictions on transfer of licence, notification of change of corporate control, suspension of licence, cancellation of licence, notice to show cause, and appeals shall mutatis mutandis apply for a gambling software licence.

Part IV

Fund of the Authority

Part V

Chief Executive Officer and Staff of the Authority

Part VI

Offences

Part VII

General Provisions