Colombo, Sri Lanka is poised to host the premier SiGMA South Asia event, a significant conference dedicated to the online gaming industry, from November 30 to December 2, 2025. This marks the first major gaming summit for South Asia, a region that encompasses over a quarter of the global population.

The SiGMA organizers have expressed their enthusiasm about the location choice, highlighting that Sri Lanka is set to transform the gaming sector within the region. With tourism already a major contributor to the nation’s economy—injecting an estimated $4.4 billion into the gross domestic product—the event is expected to leverage and expand this vital sector.

The SiGMA South Asia event, projected to attract around 5,000 delegates, will feature a distinguished array of speakers. Over 150 industry experts, including governmental and regulatory leaders as well as top figures from South Asia’s foremost gaming and land-based casino companies, will share their insights.

The conference is set to include significant contributions from more than 800 affiliates and will showcase top-tier companies from the region’s leading corporate entities on its expansive expo floor. This significant event has garnered official support from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Tourism. Thisum Jayasuriya, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, cited by GGRAsia, emphasized the importance of SiGMA South Asia to Sri Lanka and assured full support from his organization to ensure the event’s success.

Anticipation for Local Casino Developments

In related developments, the first casino resort in Sri Lanka is expected to open in phases starting this year, enhancing the region’s appeal as a gaming destination. Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd, in collaboration with John Keells Holdings Plc, is developing a $1-billion casino complex in central Colombo, with plans to inaugurate the gaming operations by mid-2025. Moreover, earlier reports indicated that India-based Majestic Group Hotels & Casinos had reached an agreement to operate the Majestic Pride Casino at Colombo’s Lotus Tower, further solidifying the city’s emerging status as a gaming hub.

Apart from its ventures in South Asia, SiGMA is also known for its established SiGMA Asia event in Manila, Philippines, which launched successfully in 2023. The upcoming iteration of SiGMA Asia is scheduled for June 1-4, 2026, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay, Manila, and is expected to witness a 40-percent expansion in its footprint, incorporating numerous new features in its floor plan. In a bid to integrate more inclusively with the gaming sector, the organizers announced that half of the exhibition floor at next year’s SiGMA Asia would be dedicated to land-based clients, a move that underscores the growing synergy between online and physical casino operations.