Parliament on Tuesday passed the Gambling Prevention Bill, 2026, replacing the colonial-era Public Gambling Act, 1867 with a comprehensive new law aimed at tackling online gambling, sports betting, digital casinos, gambling-related fraud and financial crimes conducted through modern technologies.
The bill has been drafted to address the growing use of online betting platforms, virtual private networks (VPNs), proxy servers, mirror sites, social media, mobile financial services (MFS) accounts and digital payment systems in organising gambling activities.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed moved the bill, which was passed by voice vote.
According to the bill, the existing Public Gambling Act, 1867 is no longer adequate to deal with technology-driven gambling offences and related criminal activities.
The proposed legislation seeks to establish a modern legal framework capable of addressing contemporary forms of gambling while protecting social order, economic stability and public security.
The bill notes that, although the Constitution of Bangladesh directs the state to take effective measures to prevent gambling, technological advances have enabled gambling operations to expand through online platforms and digital financial channels.
The proposed law identifies a broad range of offences, including online gambling, sports betting, virtual casinos, cryptocurrency-based gambling, gambling through SIM cards and digital financial accounts, and the laundering of gambling proceeds.
It also criminalises the operation or facilitation of gambling platforms through VPN services, proxy networks, mirror sites, hosting services, domain services, cloud infrastructure and content delivery networks where such technologies are used to conceal or continue gambling activities.
The draft law also contains provisions against the use of fake or unauthorised SIM cards, ghost SIMs, fraudulent MFS accounts and biometric identity fraud linked to gambling operations.
The legislation introduces stringent penalties for a wide range of gambling-related offences, including online betting, match-fixing, illegal gambling operations, money laundering and the use of VPNs and fake SIM cards to facilitate gambling.
Under the proposed law, online betting will attract one of the harshest penalties, with offenders facing up to seven years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk5 crore, or both.
Conventional gambling will carry a maximum punishment of two years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk2 lakh, or both.
Those involved in online or remote gambling will face up to five years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk1 crore, or both.
Operating as a bookmaker will also be punishable by up to seven years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk5 crore, or both.
The law also prescribes penalties of up to five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to Tk4 lakh for operating, managing, maintaining, controlling, renting out or allowing premises to be used for gambling. Courts will also be empowered to confiscate buildings, vehicles, server infrastructure and other property used for such activities.
Those who manufacture, store, import, distribute, sell or use gambling equipment, including software, mobile applications, servers, databases, cards, dice, totalisators and other gambling devices, will face up to three years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk10 lakh, or both. Courts will also have the authority to confiscate or destroy such equipment.
The draft law introduces specific provisions against sports corruption.
Anyone convicted of match-fixing may face up to seven years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk1 crore, or both, while spot-fixing will be punishable by up to five years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk50 lakh, or both.
Courts will also be empowered to temporarily or permanently bar convicted individuals from participating in the relevant sport or competition.
The legislation further targets gambling advertisements and endorsements.
Individuals, organisations, media outlets, digital platforms, influencers, artistes, athletes and celebrities found guilty of misleading gambling promotions, false promises of financial gain, inducement-based advertising, sponsorships, affiliate marketing or referral campaigns will face up to three years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk50 lakh, or both.
The proposed law also criminalises the use of VPNs, proxy servers, mirror websites, hosting services, domain services, cloud infrastructure and content delivery networks (CDNs) to operate gambling platforms. Such offences will carry a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk5 crore, or both.
It further cracks down on the use of fake SIM cards, ghost SIMs, fraudulent MFS accounts and biometric fraud. Offenders will face up to seven years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk50 lakh, or both.
Where such offences are committed by organised groups or for money laundering purposes, the maximum punishment will increase to 10 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk5 crore, or both.
The law also links gambling-related financial crimes to the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012. Anyone using banks, MFS platforms, digital wallets, hawala or hundi networks, or other financial channels to transfer, conceal or legitimise gambling proceeds, or converting such proceeds into cryptocurrencies or other digital assets, will be prosecuted under that law as predicate offences.
The legislation also imposes corporate liability. Where offences are committed by companies, digital gambling platforms, hosting providers or payment gateways, directors, chief executives, managers, secretaries, partners and other responsible officials may be held personally liable unless they can prove the offence occurred without their knowledge and that they took all reasonable steps to prevent it.
Companies may also be prosecuted separately and fined, while courts will have the authority to suspend, revoke or cancel their licences, registrations or business operations.
The law further provides that anyone who instigates, finances, conspires in, or provides technological or infrastructural assistance for offences under the Act will face the same punishment as the principal offender.
It also introduces enhanced penalties for repeat offenders, allowing courts to impose up to double the maximum punishment for a second or subsequent conviction for the same or a similar offence.
According to the objectives of the bill, gambling-related crimes have evolved beyond traditional betting to include digital assets, digital wallets, online gambling platforms, bookmakers and sports-fixing activities.
The legislation states that the new law is necessary to protect the public, reduce criminal activity, prevent financial and social harm, and maintain the country's moral and economic balance in an increasingly digital environment.