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As enacted
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Contents

Part VII · General Provisions

79. Interpretation

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

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires–

“casino game” means a game of chance which is not equal chance;

“child” means a person who is under the age of eighteen years;

“digital gambling” means any form of gambling that is conducted, or is capable of being conducted, using electronic or digital means and includes interactive gaming, internet gambling, mobile gambling, social gambling, any other form of gambling that is conducted, or is capable of being conducted using electronic or digital means as the Minister may from time to time by

Order published in the Gazette, specify under section 18;

“gambling” means betting, gaming, online gaming, casino, cruise ship casinos, junket operations, and includes digital gambling, the playing of baccarat, puntobanco, big six, black jack, boule, chemin - de - fer, chuck - a - luck, crown and anchor, faro, faro bank, hazard, poker dice, pontoon, American french roulette, trente - et

- quarntc, vingt - et - um, or wheel of fortune or gambling for charitable or philanthropic purposes or any other game which the Minister may from time to time by Order published in the

Gazette, specify under section 19;

“gambling premises” means any premises to which individuals have access with or without payment, whether as of right or not, for the playing of any gambling including the territorial waters of

Sri Lanka;

“junket” means entering Sri Lanka for a limited period of time with the primary purpose of gambling in a casino where-

(a)

the arrangements are made, at least in part, by a junket organiser; and

(b)

all, or a substantial part, of the costs of transportation, food, and accommodation for the person entering Sri Lanka is paid by or on behalf of the holder of a casino licence;

“junket agreement” means a contractual agreement between a gambling operator and a junket operator outlining the terms and conditions of the partnership;

“junket operator” means a person or an entity who arranges for or facilitates the transportation, accommodation and entertainment of gamblers;

“Minister” means the Minister appointed under Article 43 or Article 44 of the Constitution to whom the subject of Finance is assigned;

“social gambling” means non-remote gambling which –

(a)

is conducted by an individual in premises that are either the individual’s home or another individual’s home in Sri Lanka;

(b)

has as participants only individuals who are members of the same family or who know each other personally;

(c)

is substantially spontaneous, even though it may occur regularly, habitually or by arrangement between the individuals involved;

(d)

is not promoted or conducted-

(i)

by or for the private gain of any person not participating in the gambling; or

(ii)

in the course of any business; and

(e)

is conducted so that the only way a participant in the gambling can make a profit or gain any other benefit as a result of the gambling is by winning;

and includes private or non-commercial gambling;

“unlawful activity” means any act which constitutes an offence under the provisions of this Act.

Read on from s 80