Gambling Regulatory Authority Act 2025 · As enacted · Part VII · General Provisions
63. Imposition of a penalty
Official English translation. The Sinhala text prevails. Open the official Sinhala text, official PDF on documents.gov.lk
Official translationFrom Department of Government Printing, unchanged
Where the Director-General has sufficient evidence to believe that any person has acted in contravention of the provisions of this Act or any regulation, rule, order or direction made or issued thereunder, he may-
on the recommendation of the panel of experts appointed under section 66 of this Act; and
in the case of a first offender, having regard to the circumstances in which the offence was committed, if it is appropriate to impose a penalty, cause a notice to be served in a form prescribed by regulation on such person, requiring him to appear within a period of one month of the date of the receipt of such notice and show cause why a penalty should not be imposed on him.
Where the person on whom the notice is served admits that he acted in contravention of the provisions of this Act or any regulation, rule, Order or direction made or issued thereunder within a period of one month of the date of receipt of such notice, the Director-General shall impose on that person a monetary penalty not exceeding one-third of the maximum fine that could be imposed under this Act to which such person would be liable if convicted by a court.
Where the person on whom the notice is served, appears within a period of one month of the date of receipt of such notice and states that he has a cause to show against the imposition of the penalty, the Director-General may proceed forthwith to hear and decide the matter.
Where the Director-General is not satisfied with the reasons given, he may after assigning reasons therefor, impose the penalty specified in subsection (2) of this section.
Where the Director-General imposes a monetary penalty on any person under this section for any contravention of the provisions of this Act or any regulation, rule, Order, or direction made or issued thereunder, he shall cause the decision to be served on such person, in a form prescribed by regulation.
Any person aggrieved by the decision of the Director-General, may appeal to the Secretary of the Ministry of the
Minister to whom implementation of the provisions of this
Act is assigned, within a period of thirty days from the date of receipt of such decision made under subsection (3).
The Secretary shall make a decision on any such appeal taking into consideration the decision of the Director-General and the circumstances in which the offence was committed, and may either-
allow, alter or vary the decision of the Director-General and direct the Director-General to act accordingly; or
disallow the appeal for reasons stated therein.
The Director-General shall comply with any direction issued to him by the Secretary within a period of fourteen days from such direction and shall communicate the direction of the Secretary to the person aggrieved by his decision.
Every notice under this section shall be sent under registered post, and if sent under registered post or exhibited in the last known place of abode, it shall be deemed to have been served on that person.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, no suit or prosecution shall lie in any court regarding the same offence, where the alleged offender has admitted the commission of such offence and paid such penalty.
Any person aggrieved by the decision of the
Secretary may prefer an appeal to the Court of Appeal within thirty days from the date of communication of such decision, on a question of law.