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The Bangladeshi Parliament has unanimously approved the Gambling Prevention Bill, 2026, marking a major overhaul of the country’s gambling framework. The new law repeals the colonial-era Public Gambling Act of 1867, replacing it with a modern legal framework designed to address both conventional and digital gambling, including online betting, casinos, sports wagering, and match-fixing.
Expanded Scope for Online and Digital Betting
The legislation was drafted to address the rising use of online platforms, digital wallets, VPNs, proxy servers, mirror websites, and mobile financial services for gambling activities. According to The Daily Star, it defines 24 categories of gambling-related activity, covering traditional games such as dice, cards, poker, bingo, and lotteries, as well as virtual casinos, totalisators, cryptocurrency gambling, and betting facilitated through digital financial accounts.
Participation in online gambling now carries penalties of up to seven years in prison and a maximum fine of Tk 5 crore (around US$405,500), while remote or online gambling offences may attract five years’ imprisonment and fines up to Tk 1 crore (US$81,060). Conventional gambling will be punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of Tk 200,000 (US$1,620), or both.
The law also criminalizes the facilitation or operation of gambling platforms through hosting services, cloud infrastructure, or content delivery networks. Additionally, it introduces specific measures against match-fixing and spot-fixing, with convicted individuals facing up to seven years in prison for match-fixing or five years for spot-fixing, alongside fines of Tk 1 crore and Tk 50 lakh, respectively. Courts may also temporarily or permanently bar offenders from participating in relevant sports.
The legislation targets gambling promotions, including advertisements, influencer endorsements, sponsorship campaigns, and affiliate marketing. Offenders face up to three years in prison and fines up to Tk 50 lakh (approximately US$405,500). Companies, digital platforms, hosting services, or payment providers can also be held responsible, with directors and executives liable if offences occur without adequate preventive measures.
Authorities are empowered to seize properties, servers, accounts, and equipment used in gambling operations. The law links gambling-related financial crimes to the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012, covering the transfer, concealment, or legitimization of gambling proceeds through banks, MFS accounts, digital wallets, hawala, hundi, or cryptocurrencies.
Implementation and Oversight
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed highlighted the urgent need for modern legislation, citing the rapid technological expansion of gambling and its links to money laundering, fraud, and societal harm. The law assigns responsibilities to multiple government agencies, including the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, Bangladesh Bank, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, the Election Commission, the National Cyber Security Agency, and the Criminal Investigation Department. An interagency task force will coordinate enforcement, and provisions include international cooperation, research, reporting, and public awareness campaigns.
Opposition MPs have voiced concerns about potential misuse of the law. NCP MP Akhter Hossen objected to granting police powers to block websites and seize property without court approval, while Jamaat MP Nazibur Rahman suggested requiring magistrate approval to prevent abuse. Home Minister Ahmed defended the provisions, stating that rapid enforcement is necessary to curb online gambling effectively, and noted that similar powers are exercised under other laws.