Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, endorsed the certificate on three Bills yesterday, formalizing their legislative approval. The Bills endorsed were the Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment) Bill, the Betting and Gaming Levy (Amendment) Bill, and the Strategic Development Projects (Amendment) Bill.
The Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment) Bill amends the Social Security Contribution Levy Act, No. 25 of 2022. It was presented to Parliament on 9 October 2025 and passed on 5 December 2025.
The Betting and Gaming Levy (Amendment) Bill, also passed on 5 December 2025, revises Section 2 of the principal enactment. The amendments limit the ten per cent gross collection levy to the period from 1 April 2023 to 1 October 2025, raise the gross collection levy on bookmakers and gambling businesses to 18% from 1 October 2025, and increase the casino entrance levy for Sri Lankan citizens to USD 100.
The Strategic Development Projects (Amendment) Bill, presented on 14 November 2025 and passed on 5 December 2025, amends the Strategic Development Projects Act, No. 14 of 2008. Key changes include reducing the maximum tax holiday period from 25 years to 10 years, introducing a mandatory ex-ante cost-benefit analysis for BOI-approved projects, establishing ex-post monitoring with powers to impose penalties or revoke exemptions, requiring tax returns, and mandating an annual report on tax expenditures by the Ministry of Finance.
With the Speaker’s endorsement, the three Bills will come into force as:
Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment) Act, No. 24 of 2025
Betting and Gaming Levy (Amendment) Act, No. 25 of 2025
Strategic Development Projects (Amendment) Act, No. 26 of 2025
