Bangladesh Replaces Old Gambling Law with Digital Crackdown
Parliament passed the Gambling Prevention Bill on 30 June. The vote gives Bangladesh a single legal framework for gambling offences, after years of relying on the Public Gambling Act of 1867.
A Law Built for Online Cases
The new law maintains the country’s hard stance on gambling. The new act’s major difference is its scope. The law also covers gambling operations run through websites, mobile apps, social media, digital payment channels, crypto wallets, VPN services, proxy networks, and mirror sites.
Officials said the old law could no longer deal with technology-driven gambling cases. Gambling cases are now linked not only to physical venues, but also to fake SIM cards, fraudulent mobile financial services accounts, biometric identity fraud, and money laundering risks.
The act applies to gambling on sports, casinos, betting, match fixing, and spot fixing. The definition of a gambling venue under the new act is broad. It may be a home, club, office, call center, cyber café, vehicle, data center, website, application, and social media platform.
The Penalty Ladder
Different levels of involvement have different penalties under the law. General gambling can carry up to two years in prison, a fine of up to Tk 200,000, or both. In the case of remote or online gambling, the penalties are much stiffer: five years in jail and a fine not exceeding Tk 10 million.
Online betting is considered one of the most heavily punished offences. People convicted of participating in online betting can face up to seven years in prison and fines of up to Tk 50 million.
The law identifies 24 forms of gambling activities while at the same time providing 14 types of penalties.
Enforcement Powers Draw Scrutiny
The bill was passed unanimously, but with cautionary remarks by MPs. Some lawmakers expressed their concerns about the powers of the police to search places, confiscate material, and block websites and mobile applications without prior court approval.
Akhter Hossen of the National Citizen Party raised his apprehension regarding the broadness of powers that can affect the rights of the citizens. Jamaat MP Nazibur Rahman also called for judicial oversight.
Salahuddin Ahmed, Home Minister, justified the provisions and stated that gambling sites and applications can be deleted in no time without prior permission.
Cyber Law Takes a Step Back
Bangladesh also passed changes to its Cyber Security Act. Section 20, which prescribed punishment for gambling in cyberspace, was repealed.
This ensures that there is no duplication of laws. It also indicates that the regulation of gambling activities will be done under a specific law and not a general one.
For the gambling market, the message is clear. Bangladesh is not moving toward regulation or licensing. It is moving toward a broader ban with heavier penalties and faster enforcement tools. The hardest test will be implementation. A law built for digital gambling can close legal gaps, but its credibility will depend on how carefully police use their new powers.