TLDR
- Bangladesh’s parliament passed the Gambling Prevention Bill on July 1, 2026.
- The law replaces the 1867 Public Gambling Act and targets online and digital gambling.
- Online gambling offenses carry up to 5 years in prison and fines up to Tk 1 crore.
- Online betting participation carries penalties up to 7 years in prison and Tk 5 crore fines.
- Parliament also passed a cyber law amendment removing gambling punishment from the Cyber Security Act.
Bangladesh’s parliament passed a new gambling law on July 1. The law is called the Gambling Prevention Bill.
It replaces an old law from 1867. That law was written during colonial rule and did not cover modern technology.
The new bill covers online gambling, casino gambling, and match-fixing. It also covers digital betting platforms and virtual private networks used to access them.
Who Introduced the Bill
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed brought the bill to parliament. He acted on advice from the parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry.
Lawmakers from different parties spoke during the debate. Most supported the goal of the bill.
Some raised concerns about how police would enforce it. National Citizen Party MP Akhter Hossen said police should not search or block websites without court approval.
Nazibur Rahman from Jamaat made a similar point. He said the bill’s police powers might conflict with existing criminal procedure rules.
The home minister responded to these concerns. He said requiring court approval first could let gambling sites remove evidence before police act.
He also said police already have similar powers under other laws. The bill still passed without any lawmakers voting against it.
Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam said his side backed the bill. He said he wished some proposed changes had been included.
He asked the government to make sure the law does not get misused. He said citizens’ rights should stay protected.
Penalties Under the New Law
The law lists specific punishments for different gambling offenses. General gambling involvement can bring up to 2 years in prison.
Fines for general gambling can reach Tk 200,000. Online or remote gambling carries harsher penalties.
Those offenses can bring up to 5 years in prison. Fines can reach Tk 1 crore.
Betting through online platforms carries the toughest penalty. It can bring up to 7 years in prison.
Fines for online betting can reach Tk 5 crore. The law defines 24 categories of gambling-related activity.
These include gambling venues, digital wallets, digital gambling platforms, and spot fixing. The law also sets 14 categories of punishment based on the offense.
Salahuddin said online betting sites and fake mobile financial accounts posed risks. He mentioned money laundering and fraud as concerns tied to these platforms.
He said these issues could affect social order and young people. This was part of his reasoning when he introduced the bill last week.
Alongside the gambling bill, parliament passed a second law. This is the Cyber Security Amendment Bill of 2026.
It removes Section 20 from the Cyber Security Act. That section had covered punishment for gambling done online.
Post, Telecommunications, and ICT Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam introduced this amendment. It passed by voice vote in parliament.
Law Minister Md Asaduzzman explained the reason for the change. He said a separate gambling law already exists now, so the cyber law no longer needs that section.
Both laws took effect after passing on July 1. Together, they update how Bangladesh handles gambling cases both online and in person.
