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Parliament on Wednesday passed a bill aimed at strengthening controls over the spread of online gambling, digital betting platforms and match-fixing activities.
The Gambling Prevention Bill, 2026 introduces provisions for imprisonment and financial penalties for a range of gambling-related offences.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed moved the bill, which was passed unanimously by voice vote in the House with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir-Bikram, in the chair.
Before the passage of the bill, opposition lawmakers from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami — Shahjahan Chowdhury, M Abdul Gafur, Zahirul Islam, Amir Hamza, Quamrul Hasan and Akhter Hossain — along with Independent lawmaker Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal, urged the House to send the bill to the review committee for public opinion. Their proposal was rejected by voice vote.
Presenting the bill, the home minister said the proposed legislation seeks to address the rapid expansion of technology-driven gambling, which has increasingly shifted from traditional venues to digital platforms accessible through smartphones, social media and online payment systems.
The new law has been drafted to modernise and replace provisions of the Public Gambling Act of 1867, a colonial-era law that authorities say is no longer adequate to regulate contemporary forms of gambling.
The legislation introduces legal definitions for emerging concepts including digital gambling platforms, online and remote gambling, betting and wagering, digital assets and wallets, totalizators, professional bookmakers, match-fixing and spot-fixing.
According to the government, technological advances have transformed the gambling landscape and created new risks for public order, social stability, mental health and financial security.
Law enforcement agencies and cybercrime investigators have repeatedly warned about the growing presence of online betting networks operating through foreign websites, social media platforms and messaging applications.
In recent years, authorities have conducted several operations targeting illegal betting syndicates accused of recruiting local users for international gambling platforms. Investigations have also identified the use of mobile financial services and digital payment channels in betting-related transactions.
Cybersecurity experts have noted that many online gambling operators function across borders, making enforcement difficult under existing legal frameworks.
The law separately defines and criminalises match-fixing and spot-fixing, reflecting concerns over the integrity of sporting events. Experts say illegal betting markets create incentives for manipulating results and undermine public confidence in professional competitions.
Under the law, offenders may face fines, imprisonment or both, depending on the nature and severity of the offence. Detailed enforcement provisions and procedural rules are expected to be finalised through subsequent regulatory processes.
“Online gambling is no longer merely a social issue; it has become a major cybersecurity and financial crime concern. Many platforms collect sensitive user data and may also facilitate money laundering. Effective implementation of the law will be crucial,” the minister said.
The Gambling Prevention Act, 2026 marks one of the most significant overhauls of Bangladesh’s gambling regulations in more than a century, reflecting the government’s effort to address challenges posed by an increasingly digital gambling ecosystem.
