The Bangladeshi Parliament has unanimously authorized the Gambling Prevention Bill, 2026, marking a significant overhaul of the nation’s playing framework. The new legislation repeals the colonial-era Public Gambling Act of 1867, changing it with a contemporary authorized framework designed to deal with each typical and digital playing, together with on-line betting, casinos, sports activities wagering, and match-fixing.
Expanded Scope for Online and Digital Betting
The laws was drafted to deal with the rising use of on-line platforms, digital wallets, VPNs, proxy servers, mirror web sites, and cellular monetary companies for playing actions. According to The Daily Star, it defines 24 classes of gambling-related exercise, protecting conventional video games reminiscent of cube, playing cards, poker, bingo, and lotteries, in addition to digital casinos, totalisators, cryptocurrency playing, and betting facilitated by way of digital monetary accounts.
Participation in on-line playing now carries penalties of as much as seven years in jail and a most superb of Tk 5 crore (round US$405,500), whereas distant or on-line playing offences could appeal to 5 years’ imprisonment and fines as much as Tk 1 crore (US$81,060). Conventional playing can be punishable by as much as two years in jail or a superb of Tk 200,000 (US$1,620), or each.
The legislation additionally criminalizes the facilitation or operation of playing platforms by way of internet hosting companies, cloud infrastructure, or content material supply networks. Additionally, it introduces particular measures in opposition to match-fixing and spot-fixing, with convicted people dealing with as much as seven years in jail for match-fixing or 5 years for spot-fixing, alongside fines of Tk 1 crore and Tk 50 lakh, respectively. Courts may additionally briefly or completely bar offenders from taking part in related sports activities.
The laws targets playing promotions, together with ads, influencer endorsements, sponsorship campaigns, and online marketing. Offenders resist three years in jail and fines as much as Tk 50 lakh (roughly US$405,500). Companies, digital platforms, internet hosting companies, or fee suppliers will also be held accountable, with administrators and executives liable if offences happen with out satisfactory preventive measures.
Authorities are empowered to grab properties, servers, accounts, and tools utilized in playing operations. The legislation hyperlinks gambling-related monetary crimes to the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012, protecting the switch, concealment, or legitimization of playing proceeds by way of banks, MFS accounts, digital wallets, hawala, hundi, or cryptocurrencies.
Implementation and Oversight
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed highlighted the pressing want for fashionable laws, citing the speedy technological growth of playing and its hyperlinks to cash laundering, fraud, and societal hurt. The legislation assigns tasks to a number of authorities businesses, together with 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 activity pressure will coordinate enforcement, and provisions embrace worldwide cooperation, analysis, reporting, and public consciousness campaigns.
Opposition MPs have voiced considerations about potential misuse of the legislation. NCP MP Akhter Hossen objected to granting police powers to dam web sites and seize property with out courtroom approval, whereas Jamaat MP Nazibur Rahman urged requiring Justice of the Peace approval to stop abuse. Home Minister Ahmed defended the provisions, stating that speedy enforcement is important to curb on-line playing successfully, and famous that comparable powers are exercised below different legal guidelines.
