UPay in Sri Lankan Casinos

This page is for players in Sri Lanka who want to know what UPay is and whether it can be used at online casinos. UPay is a mobile payment app run by SDB bank for local retail and QR payments. We found no official SDB statement about casino use, so check the casino cashier before you rely on it. Below we explain the law, the app and how a payment would work if a casino lists UPay.

Online Gambling Regulation in Sri Lanka

To be totally frank, Sri Lanka is a weird country when it comes to gambling regulation. On one hand, historically speaking, it seemed like a country with the loosest stance on gambling, not showing any interest in regulating it for ages. On the other hand, even when it attempted to regulate the industry, there were so many obstacles that the authorities would always give up. In 2010, for instance, land-based gambling was officially legalized, and three operators were given the green light to open their brick-and-mortar casinos, but there was an instant political and religious pressure that the authorities had to back up. In 2013, these establishments faced further delay, and their construction was completely blocked in 2015.

It was not until a decade later that some real efforts were made to regulate the industry again. Sri Lanka passed the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act, No. 16 of 2025, which sets up a new regulator and brings online betting into a licensing framework, and repeals older laws such as the Casino Business (Regulation) Act of 2010. Officials aimed to have the authority fully operating by 30 June 2026, but we could not confirm that licences for online casino games have been issued. There are several land-based facilities providing casino gambling in the country, and more are on the horizon. City of Dreams, for instance, is a resort that was given permission to operate casinos, and reports about its opening have appeared, so check its current status.

In the meantime, some Sri Lankans use offshore online casino sites, which are not licensed in Sri Lanka. Operators from overseas accept Sri Lankan players, and you will find sites with online casino games from developers like Pragmatic Play, Yggdrasil, NetEnt, Evolution, and Games Global. They offer slots, table games, online poker, video poker, and Live Casino games, but they carry the risk that the law may change and that you have no Sri Lankan player protection.

Offshore operators accept Sri Lankan players, and their cashiers often list global payment methods. UPay is a local payment app run by SDB bank, and SDB's own pages describe it as a retail and QR payment app. No official source shows that casinos accept it, so any casino use is unverified. See our banking guides for other methods.

Using UPay Across Sri Lankan Online Casinos

SDB bank, a specialised bank licensed by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, runs UPay. A 2018 press report described the app as Central Bank approved and using the JustPay gateway, and SDB says the app is powered by SDB bank (SDB).

No official SDB source shows that casinos accept UPay, so check the cashier.

To use UPay you download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play, set up an account and link a bank account or card. SDB's UPay page and the app show which banks and cards you can link.

Not every casino lists UPay. If a cashier does, the steps below show how a payment would normally work.

Depositing and Withdrawing with UPay

Whether a casino accepts UPay is the casino's choice, and SDB has not said that casinos use it. Check the cashier of any site you are considering. If UPay is not listed there, it is not available at that site.

From here, you’ll need to disclose some basic personal details to create your player account. Once your account is ready, to fund it with UPay, do the following:

Withdrawals depend on the casino. SDB has not said that casinos can pay out to UPay, so check the Withdrawals section of the cashier. If UPay is offered, the casino reviews your request first, and its own processing time applies.

Conclusion

UPay is a local mobile payment app run by SDB bank. It is built for retail and QR payments in Sri Lanka, and no official source shows that casinos accept it. The Gambling Regulatory Authority Act, No. 16 of 2025, is meant to bring online betting under a licensing framework, but licences for online casino games have not been confirmed, and offshore sites give you no Sri Lankan player protection.

 

Other ways to pay in Sri Lanka

We also review this payment method for players in Sri Lanka: iPay.