Bangladesh Passes Tough New Anti-Gambling Law

Bangladesh’s Parliament has unanimously passed the Gambling Prevention Act 2026, introducing sweeping new measures to combat online gambling, sports betting, virtual casinos and cryptocurrency-based betting networks. The legislation replaces the country’s 159-year-old gambling law with a modern legal framework that reflects the realities of the digital age, carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and fines of up to Tk 50 million for serious offences.

The bill was passed by voice vote during Tuesday’s parliamentary session chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed after being tabled by Home Affairs Adviser Salahuddin Ahmed. Lawmakers also approved the Cyber Security (Amendment) Bill 2026, which removes an existing provision from the Cyber Security Act to prevent legal overlap with the newly enacted gambling legislation.

The government said the new law was necessary because the Public Gambling Act of 1867, enacted during the British colonial period, had become inadequate to address increasingly sophisticated forms of gambling conducted through digital platforms. Officials argued that rapid advances in technology have transformed gambling into a cross-border online activity, making the previous legal framework ineffective against emerging threats.

According to the statement accompanying the bill, online betting platforms, virtual private networks (VPNs), social media pages, fake mobile financial service (MFS) accounts and digital payment systems have increasingly been used to facilitate gambling, fraud and money laundering. The government warned that these activities pose serious risks to social stability, financial security and, in particular, the country’s younger population.

The Gambling Prevention Act 2026 introduces clear legal definitions for several modern concepts that were absent from previous legislation. These include “online or remote gambling”, “online betting” covering sports betting, live betting and casino betting, as well as cryptocurrency-based gambling, ghost SIM cards and fraudulent digital wallets or mobile financial service accounts.

Under the new law, a wide range of activities will now constitute criminal offences. These include depositing, withdrawing or transferring money for gambling purposes, acting as a representative or agent of foreign online gambling operators, and managing gambling-related pages or channels on social media platforms.

The legislation also criminalises the supply of digital platforms, software or equipment intended for gambling activities. Advertising gambling services or promoting betting operators through sponsorship arrangements will likewise attract severe penalties. Offenders may face up to 10 years in prison, fines of up to Tk 50 million, or both, depending on the nature and seriousness of the offence.

Another significant feature of the law is its procedural classification of gambling offences. Crimes committed under the Act have been designated as both cognisable and non-bailable, allowing law enforcement agencies to take action without a warrant where legally applicable and limiting access to bail during legal proceedings. Cases will be heard by Cyber Tribunals or, where appropriate under existing legal provisions, through Mobile Courts.

On the same day, Parliament passed the Cyber Security (Amendment) Act 2026. The amendment removes Section 20 of the existing Cyber Security Act, which previously provided for penalties of up to Tk 10 million for certain gambling-related offences conducted through cyberspace.

The government explained that the Cyber Security Act had originally been enacted to protect Bangladesh’s digital infrastructure and online environment. However, with the introduction of a dedicated and more comprehensive law addressing both online and offline gambling offences, retaining similar provisions in the Cyber Security Act could create overlapping jurisdictions and legal complications.

The amendment is intended to establish a single, specialised legal framework for gambling-related crimes, ensuring greater consistency in investigation and prosecution. According to the amendment, the repeal of the earlier provision takes immediate effect.

The enactment of the Gambling Prevention Act 2026 marks one of the most significant updates to Bangladesh’s criminal legislation in recent years. By replacing a law dating back more than a century and a half, the government aims to strengthen its ability to tackle increasingly complex digital gambling networks, financial crimes linked to online betting and the misuse of emerging technologies for illegal gambling activities. The new legislation reflects a broader effort to modernise the country’s legal framework in response to rapidly evolving digital threats while providing law enforcement agencies with expanded powers to investigate and prosecute offenders.