Melco Resorts’ City of Dreams Sri Lanka Casino Almost Ready for Guests
Posted on: June 30, 2025, 12:15h.
Last updated on: August 11, 2025, 12:48h.
- City of Dreams Sri Lanka will open on August 2
- The casino is part of Sri Lanka’s first integrated resort
- Melco Resorts will run the casino for at least the next two decades
Melco Resorts’ expansion phase continues by way of Sri Lanka. The Hong Kong-based gaming and hospitality firm says its City of Dreams Sri Lanka property will welcome its first guests beginning August 2.
An island country located off the southeastern tip of India, Sri Lanka legalized casinos in special gambling zones in 2010. However, only small botique casinos have opened due to public opposition regarding Las Vegas-like properties. That will soon change when Melco turns on its City of Dreams Sri Lanka slot machines in about a month.
The City of Dreams Sri Lanka casino spans 180K square feet. The casino and 800-room hotel are part of John Keells Holdings’ Cinnamon Life complex, which marks Sri Lanka’s first integrated resort development.
We believe Sri Lanka has immense potential, and this opportunity complements our existing portfolio of properties. City of Dreams Sri Lanka is expected to serve as a catalyst for stimulating tourism demand and promoting economic growth in Sri Lanka, drawing inspiration from the successful examples set by similar integrated resorts in other jurisdictions,” said Lawrence Ho, the founder, chair, and CEO of Melco Resorts.
Along with the casino and two hotels, branded Cinnamon Life and Nüwa, City of Dreams Sri Lanka includes expansive convention facilities, a retail shopping and dining promenade, and immersive entertainment experiences
Betting on Sri Lanka
After two decades of politicking that blocked casinos from coming to Sri Lanka despite the 2010 law, Sri Lanka-based John Keells Holdings won over the government for a more than $1.2 billion project that the developers say will “redefine” Colombo and put the country “on the global tourism map.” John Keells adds that the destination will be a tourism catalyst that will have a sustainable economic impact on the small country.
Sri Lanka underwent an economic crisis in 2022 but has since entered a recovery phase. The nation reached a $2.9 billion bailout with the International Monetary Fund in March 2023 to restore stability and allow the country to pay down its debt.
Melco’s fourth City of Dreams property, along with resorts in China’s Macau, the Philippines, and Cyprus, the Sri Lanka casino is projected to generate more than 20,000 direct and indirect jobs.
City of Dreams Sri Lanka stands as a bold testament to our confidence in Sri Lanka’s future and our continued commitment to nation-building through transformative investments,” added Krishan Balendra, chair of the John Keells Group.
Melco is paying John Keells $125 million to operate the City of Dreams Sri Lanka casino for 20 years.
Former Melco Partner Was Unsuccessful in Sri Lanka
Melco Resorts will possess a monopoly on casino gaming in Sri Lanka when its City of Dreams opens in early August. It also controls casino gaming in Cyprus, another island nation that’s located in the Mediterranean Sea.
Melco’s former partner, Crown Resorts, tried to enter Sri Lanka soon after the country’s gambling law was enacted 15 years ago. Dubbed Crown Sri Lanka, the $450 million proposed casino and resort was to be built on the banks of Beira Lake in Colombo.
The project encountered roadblocks when local civic groups opposed the casino on moral, conservative principles.
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