Bangladesh has moved closer to overhauling its colonial-era gambling regime, with the cabinet granting in-principle approval to the draft Gambling Prevention Act, 2026.
According to state news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the approval came at the cabinet’s 10th meeting on June 18th, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, with the bill tabled by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The legislation would repeal the Public Gambling Act, 1867, which authorities regard as inadequate for technology-driven betting.
The draft introduces definitions for online and remote gambling, digital platforms, digital wallets, totalisators, bookmakers, match-fixing and spot-fixing. Penalties would range from fines to imprisonment, or both, depending on the offence.
The measure follows Home Affairs Minister Salahuddin Ahmed’s signal last month, previously reported by AGB, that the government intended to replace the outdated statute.
The push comes amid mounting concern over illegal online betting. Bangladesh Bank has ordered all 13 mobile financial service providers to halt gambling-linked transactions, while the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit previously suspended 21,725 related accounts.
The Dhaka Tribune also cited cybersecurity expert Arif Mohiuddin as saying that effective implementation of the law would be crucial, warning that online platforms could be used for money laundering.
The draft will now go to the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division for vetting before final approval. No timeline was given.
