Sri Lanka blocks 98 more unlicensed gambling sites
The expanded ban comes two days after 24 major gambling portals were blocked, with telecom operators ordered to act immediately.
Sri Lanka has added another 98 websites to its list of portals to be blocked, two days after 24 major online gambling sites were banned.
The ministry concerned said the sites were operating outside the law. "Those online gaming sites were operating without licences," it said.
The banned sites include stake.com, bet365.com, betway.com and 1xBet.com.
"All telecom service providers have been ordered to implement the ban with immediate effect," the ministry said in a statement.
It also warned Sri Lankans that investing in such sites was illegal.
Online gambling is legal in Sri Lanka, but operators must register with the authorities and pay a licence fee to the government. The action therefore targets operators without official approval rather than the industry as a whole.
Despite the immediate effect of the order, internet users in Sri Lanka can still reach the blocked sites using VPN software.
Combined with the 24 major gambling sites banned earlier, more than 120 portals are now on the blocking list.
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