Since President took office in November 2005:

Casino, betting or liquor licences were never issued 

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that new casino, betting or liquor licences were never issued during his tenure of office.

He was addressing media heads at the breakfast meeting at Temple Trees on Friday morning.

New casino or liquor licences have never been issued and would not be given in the future too, the President said.

“If such licences had been given it was only during the UNP regime.

Action will also be taken against those casinos or bars which have sprung up in Colombo.

The Government has already banned smoking in public places. Illegal casinos including those operating in hotels too would be raided, he said.

The President said those who are trying to thwart foreign aid inflows into the country for new large-scale hotel complexes are behind the campaign to create unfounded fear that the Government is permitting casinos to operate freely in the country.