Bangladesh has moved to formally classify online gambling as a criminal offence under the Cyber Security Act 2026. The move marks another step in the country’s widening crackdown on illegal betting activities and gambling-related financial crime.
The development comes days after Bangladesh moved to replace the 159-year-old gambling law. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury announced the change in Parliament on 24 June (Wednesday) while responding to a question from National Citizen Party MP Abdullah Al Amin. According to the minister, as reported by local media, Section 20 of the Cyber Security Act 2026, which came into force on 10 April, criminalises a broad range of online gambling activities.
The legislation covers the operation and management of gambling websites, mobile applications and other digital betting platforms. It also applies to individuals who participate in online gambling, promote betting services, assist gambling operations or advertise gambling-related products. Those found guilty can face up to two years in prison, a fine of up to BDT 1 crore ($90,900), or both. The latest measures underline the government’s increasingly hardline position on online gambling as concerns grow over financial crime, money laundering and the expansion of offshore betting platforms.
Authorities freeze 55,000 gambling-linked accounts
The finance minister also revealed the scale of enforcement action already underway. According to information presented to Parliament, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has suspended or frozen around 55,000 Mobile Financial Service (MFS) accounts connected to online gambling and digital hundi activities.
The BFIU reportedly prepared an intelligence report on online gambling soon after the Cyber Security Act 2026 came into effect and submitted it to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in May.
A criminal case has since been filed, and the investigation is ongoing. Officials continue to monitor suspicious financial activity and are preparing additional intelligence reports to identify individuals and networks involved in illegal betting operations. The government sees disrupting payment channels as one of the most effective ways to curb the growth of online gambling networks.
Financial institutions face stricter monitoring requirements
Alongside criminal enforcement, Bangladesh’s financial regulators have been instructed to increase oversight of gambling-related transactions. Amir Khosru told Parliament that Bangladesh Bank issued a directive to all Mobile Financial Service providers on 28 May 2025 following a rise in online gambling activity across the country. The directive requires operators to monitor merchants and customers continuously for signs of involvement in online gambling.
Financial institutions have also been instructed to strengthen their internal monitoring systems and report suspicious transactions linked to gambling activity. At the same time, government agencies have stepped up public awareness campaigns to highlight the risks associated with online gambling and related financial crime.
New gambling law set to replace colonial-era legislation
The development comes just days after Bangladesh’s Cabinet approved a draft of the Gambling Prevention Act 2026. If passed, the new law will replace the Public Gambling Act of 1867, which has been the country’s main gambling legislation for nearly 160 years.
Officials argue that the existing framework is no longer capable of addressing modern gambling products, particularly those operating through digital channels and offshore betting platforms. The proposed law introduces definitions covering online gambling, remote gambling, bookmakers, digital wallets, betting platforms and other technology-driven gambling activities.
Bangladesh adopts tougher stance on online gambling
The government’s latest announcement is part of its zero-tolerance policy on online gambling. Authorities first introduced the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025 before launching a series of enforcement actions targeting gambling networks and suspicious financial transactions.
Officials have repeatedly linked illegal gambling activity to money laundering, digital fraud and organised criminal networks. As a result, regulators, law enforcement agencies and financial institutions are increasingly working together to identify gambling-related transactions and disrupt payment flows connected to illegal betting platforms.
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