Authorities in Bangladesh are seeking to crack down on gambling by replacing a law that has previously stood for over 150 years.
As reported by local outlet BSS News, Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has confirmed an initiative to replace the outdated Gambling Act of 1867 with a new law aimed at preventing both land-based and online gambling.
Ahmed told reporters that the decision has been made in recognition of the rising popularity of online betting and gaming, which now requires a more technology-oriented legal framework.
He confirmed to reporters at the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum that the new law is currently in the final stages of drafting and will be presented to the country’s parliament during its next sitting.
The Home Minister provided few details on how the new legislation will go beyond the country’s Gambling Act, given that it already prohibits almost all forms of gambling.
Anyone found operating or promoting online gambling can be sentenced to up to two years in prison and fined up to $80,000 under the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025.
Despite this, it’s clear that gambling activity remains prominent in Bangladesh, given the push by policymakers to update the law.
Earlier this year, Ahmed promised a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to gambling following concerns raised by opposition member of parliament Zainul Abdin Farroque, parliamentary member for the Noakhali-2 constituency.
“To save the youth from destruction, the government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy,” said Ahmed, who promised that law enforcement agencies will conduct coordinated operations to dismantle networks linked to drugs and gambling.
Last week, Bangladeshi Police arrested three men accused of being part of a syndicate involved in laundering money through online gambling platforms.
Md Ala Uddin, 42, Shahadat Hossain, 32, and Md Sahab Uddin, 48, were all detained following raids that discovered five mobile phones believed to be linked to illegal financial transactions, along with credit cards and cheque books.
According to the police, the syndicate promotes its gambling sites across social media and various other online platforms, and requires players to deposit money into bank accounts in return for e-money to be used on betting accounts.
