Prominent casino businessman Ravi Wijeratne and Rank Entertainment Holdings (Private) Ltd. have filed a lawsuit against Waterfront Properties (Private) Ltd., John Keells Holdings PLC, and two other companies, seeking Rs. 15 billion in damages for alleged breach of contractual obligations and failure to disclose crucial information.
The defendants named in the complaint are:
- Waterfront Properties (Private) Ltd.
- John Keells Holdings PLC
- Hong Kong-listed Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd.
- Blue Heaven Services (Private) Ltd.
The case, lodged at the Colombo Commercial High Court, was heard before Judge M.Y.M. Irsadeen. The court has ordered the defendants to file their responses by November 12, 2025.
According to the plaintiffs, they have been engaged in ongoing contractual dealings with Cinnamon Life and John Keells Holdings PLC since 2013. This partnership, they claim, was based on an understanding that a casino license held by Rank Entertainment Holdings would be allocated for operating a casino within the Cinnamon Life complex.
The plaintiffs allege that since 2013, Rank Entertainment Holdings has paid millions of rupees to the Sri Lankan government to maintain the casino license, which has remained inactive. They further state that, relying on the agreement, both Ravi Wijeratne and Rank Entertainment invested heavily in projects supporting the design, development, and financial planning of the casino space at Cinnamon Life.
With over 30 years of experience in Sri Lanka’s casino industry, the plaintiffs say they have invested significant time, funds, and resources in compiling and safeguarding commercially sensitive and proprietary information. They allege that Waterfront Properties and John Keells Holdings have now unfairly profited from this information, depriving Rank Entertainment Holdings of the opportunity to operate the casino as initially intended.
The casino space in question is currently operated by Hong Kong-based Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd. and its Sri Lankan subsidiary, Blue Heaven Services (Private) Ltd., which now holds a casino license.
The plaintiffs maintain that Cinnamon Life and John Keells Holdings PLC had no prior experience in the casino industry in Sri Lanka and relied entirely on their undisclosed expertise. They argue that the alleged unlawful use and disclosure of this confidential information constitutes a violation of Sri Lanka’s Intellectual Property Act No. 36 of 2003.
