Chief Government Whip and Urban Development Minister, Prasanna Ranatunga, refuted claims of any government decision to allocate the 'Aragalaya site' for the establishment of a casino. These allegations surfaced following statements made by NPP MP Vijitha Herath.

Minister Ranatunga clarified that while a proposal had been received from Barl Investment Pvt. Ltd. for a mixed investment project at Baladaksha Mawatha, Colombo 03, no decision had been made regarding the 'Aragalaya site' for casino purposes.

An MoU was indeed signed with the investor on February 16, 2024. he emphasized that the proposed project was yet to receive approval.
The Minister further revealed that the investor had deposited a fee of USD 10,000 in rupees with the Urban Development Authority (UDA), and steps were underway to acquire a valuation report on the land in question.