Bill Introduced to Ban Gambling, Online Betting
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
A bill has been introduced in the National Parliament aiming to prevent gambling and online gambling, while repealing the Public Gambling Act of 1867, a law that is more than 150 years old.
The proposed legislation defines 24 categories of offenses, including online and remote gambling, betting, bookmakers, match-fixing, and spot-fixing. It also prescribes 14 types of penalties depending on the severity of the crime, including fines, imprisonment, or both.
On Tuesday, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed placed the bill in Parliament. It was subsequently sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Law for further review and a report within five working days.
According to the bill, any individual involved directly or indirectly in gambling may face up to two years in prison, a fine of up to Tk 200,000, or both.
For offenses involving online or remote gambling, the punishment may extend to five years of imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk 10 million, or both.
Those involved in online betting may face up to seven years in prison, a fine of up to Tk 50 million, or both.
In the statement of objectives and reasons, the government noted that the existing Public Gambling Act of 1867 is outdated. It also cited constitutional provisions mandating effective state measures to curb gambling.
Recommendations from the 2018 Deputy Commissioners’ Conference had earlier called for updating the law and increasing penalties to improve enforcement at the field level.
The Home Minister said modern forms of gambling such as sports betting, virtual casinos, cryptocurrency-based gambling, fake SIM operations, and digital financial fraud—cannot be effectively addressed under the existing law.
He further warned that online betting platforms, VPN services, social media networks, fake mobile financial accounts, biometric fraud, and digital payment systems are increasingly being used for gambling, money laundering, and fraud. These activities, he said, pose serious threats to social order, economic stability, public safety, and the youth.
The bill formally defines 24 categories related to gambling, including digital gambling platforms, digital wallets, totalizators, and various forms of betting and match-fixing, with a structured penalty framework covering 14 types of punishments based on offense severity.
