Bill to tackle online gambling tabled in parliament
According to the bill, the existing Public Gambling Act, 1867 is no longer adequate to deal with technology-driven gambling offences and associated criminal activities.
The Gambling Prevention Bill, 2026 was placed in Parliament today (23 June) to replace the colonial-era Public Gambling Act of 1867 with a comprehensive new law aimed at tackling online gambling, sports betting, digital casinos, gambling-related fraud and financial crimes conducted through modern technologies.
The proposed bill has been drafted to address the growing use of online betting platforms, virtual private networks (VPNs), proxy servers, mirror sites, social media, mobile financial services (MFS) accounts and digital payment systems in organising gambling activities.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed placed the bill, which was sent to the respective parliamentary committee for further examination.
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The committee was asked to submit its report within five working days.
According to the bill, the existing Public Gambling Act, 1867 is no longer adequate to deal with technology-driven gambling offences and associated criminal activities.
The proposed legislation seeks to establish a modern legal framework capable of addressing contemporary forms of gambling and protecting social order, economic stability and public security.
The bill notes that while the Constitution of Bangladesh directs the state to take effective measures to prevent gambling, technological developments have enabled gambling operations to expand through online platforms and digital financial channels.
The proposed law identifies a wide range of offences, including online gambling, sports betting, virtual casinos, cryptocurrency-based gambling, gambling through SIM cards and digital financial accounts, and the laundering of gambling proceeds.
It also seeks to criminalise the operation or facilitation of gambling platforms through VPN services, proxy networks, mirror sites, hosting services, domain services, cloud infrastructure and content delivery networks if such technologies are used to conceal or continue gambling activities.
The draft law contains provisions against the use of fake or unauthorised SIM cards, ghost SIMs, fraudulent MFS accounts and biometric identity fraud in connection with gambling operations.
Under the proposed penalties, a person convicted of conventional gambling could face up to two years' imprisonment or a fine of up to Tk 200,000, or both.
For online or remote gambling offences, the punishment will increase to a maximum of five years' imprisonment or a fine of up to Tk 1 crore, or both.
Those found guilty of operating online betting activities could face up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to Tk 5 crore, or both.
The bill also proposes penalties of up to five years' imprisonment or a fine of up to Tk 400,000 for managing, controlling, maintaining or allowing the use of premises for gambling activities.
According to the objective of the draft law, gambling-related crimes now extend beyond traditional betting and include digital assets, digital wallets, online gambling platforms, bookmakers and sports-fixing activities.
The bill said the new legislation is necessary to protect the public, reduce criminal activities, prevent financial and social harm, and maintain the country's moral and economic balance in an increasingly digital environment.
