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Sovereign state
Asia
ISO BD

Bangladesh: gambling regulation and licensing

  • Online sports bettingProhibited
  • Online casinoProhibited
  • Online pokerProhibited
  • Horse race bettingProhibited
  • iLotteryProhibited
  • Land-based (reference)Prohibited
Regulator
Not yet verified
Headline tax
Not yet verified
Licence required
No
Last verified
23 Sept 2026

Summary

Bangladesh prohibits gambling in every form, online and offline, and has no gambling regulator, licence or gaming tax. Article 18(2) of the Constitution directs the State to prevent gambling. The governing law is the Gambling Prevention Act, 2026 (Act No. 98 of 2026), which took effect on 1 July 2026 and repealed the colonial Public Gambling Act, 1867. It treats any direct or indirect involvement in gambling as a crime, so players are liable as well as operators, and it names sports, live, exchange, casino, virtual, fantasy and e-sports betting, poker and lottery. Penalties run from two years or Tk 2 lakh for gambling to seven years or Tk 5 crore for online betting, bookmaking or using VPNs and mirror sites, with up to ten years for organised fake SIM or MFS account fraud, and all offences are non-bailable. Advertising, sponsorship, affiliate and referral marketing are offences for influencers, players and media alike. Online gambling had first been made an express offence by the Cyber Security Ordinance, 2025; that provision was deleted from the Cyber Security Act, 2026 when the new Act took over. There is no single regulator: the Ministry of Home Affairs leads, BTRC blocks sites and apps, and Bangladesh Bank and the BFIU police payments, having frozen about 55,000 mobile financial service accounts by June 2026. The CID has since raided online betting syndicates. The 1867 exemptions for skill games and on-course horse betting are gone. Still to come are rules for a national blacklist database and linked NID, SIM and MFS checks.

Common pitfalls

Citing the Public Gambling Act, 1867: it was repealed on 1 July 2026, and with it the exemptions for games of mere skill and on-course horse betting. Citing s. 20 of the Cyber Security Act, 2026 as the online gambling offence: it was deleted on 1 July 2026 and the Gambling Prevention Act, 2026 now governs. Treating players as safe: involvement in gambling in any form is an offence and all offences are non-bailable. Reading the Penal Code lottery exemption as a general licence: it only lifts the lottery-office offence for State or Government-authorised lotteries.

Key facts

Regulator
Not yet verified
Regulator type
No dedicated regulator
Headline tax
Not yet verified
Licence required
No
Minimum age
Not yet verified
Tax base
There is no gaming tax because no form of gambling may lawfully be offered (Gambling Prevention Act, 2026, ss. 4 to 9). Money and assets used in or derived from gambling are forfeited to the State on a court order (s. 29). The tax treatment of any Government-authorised lottery was not checked.

Licensing

Licence required
No
Application window
Closed
Local establishment required
Not yet verified
Local server required
Not yet verified
Barriers to entry
There is nothing to apply for. The Gambling Prevention Act, 2026 makes any direct or indirect involvement in gambling, online gambling or online betting an offence, with no licensing provision and no exemption, and it overrides other laws (ss. 3 to 9). Directors and managers of a company or platform that commits an offence are deemed liable unless they prove it happened without their knowledge despite due diligence, and a court may suspend or cancel the company's registration or licence (s. 26). The only surviving carve-out found is the Penal Code s. 294A exemption for a State or Government-authorised lottery from the lottery-office offence.

Taxation

Headline GGR tax
Not yet verified
Effective date
Not yet verified
Tax base
There is no gaming tax because no form of gambling may lawfully be offered (Gambling Prevention Act, 2026, ss. 4 to 9). Money and assets used in or derived from gambling are forfeited to the State on a court order (s. 29). The tax treatment of any Government-authorised lottery was not checked.

Compliance

Minimum age
Not yet verified
National self-exclusion
Not yet verified
AML regime
Using banks, MFS, digital wallets, hawala, hundi or any other financial channel to move, conceal or legitimise gambling money, or converting it into cryptocurrency or other digital assets, is punished as a predicate offence under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 (Gambling Prevention Act, 2026, ss. 14 and 25). Bangladesh Bank and the BFIU are charged with gambling-related financial intelligence (s. 43(d)).
AML supervisor
Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), Bangladesh Bank
Central monitoring system
The government may deploy AI monitoring, deep packet inspection, risk scoring and transaction monitoring to detect online gambling and betting (s. 44), and may link NID, SIM and MFS records with biometric verification (s. 41).
KYC requirements
Not yet verified
Stake limits
Not yet verified

Advertising

Advertising permitted
No
Affiliate rules
Affiliate marketing and referral campaigns for gambling are offences (Gambling Prevention Act, 2026, s. 11); abetment, financing or technical support carries the penalty for the main offence (s. 27).
Sponsorship rules
Gambling sponsorship is an offence under s. 11 of the Gambling Prevention Act, 2026 for the sponsor and for the media outlet, platform, player or celebrity involved.
Celebrity and influencer rules
Influencers, artists, players and celebrities are named in s. 11 of the Gambling Prevention Act, 2026 and face up to three years or a fine of up to Tk 50 lakh (s. 22). In April 2025 the High Court directed the government to form a committee on celebrity promotion of gambling sites.
Social media rules
Running gambling or betting groups, pages or channels on social media is itself online gambling (s. 2(2)(b)), and the government or its designated authority may block such pages, groups and channels (s. 38).
Penalties for breach
Up to three years, or a fine of up to Tk 50 lakh (Tk 5 million), or both (Gambling Prevention Act, 2026, s. 22); double for a repeat offence (s. 28). A company may be fined and have its registration or licence suspended or cancelled (s. 26).

Restrictions

  • Any person, organisation, media outlet, digital platform, influencer, artist, player or celebrity who carries out misleading promotion, promises of false gains, enticing advertising, sponsorship, affiliate marketing or referral campaigns for gambling commits an offence (Gambling Prevention Act, 2026, s. 11)
  • Newspapers, online portals, media outlets and digital advertising agencies were barred in October 2025 from carrying gambling or betting advertisements, including through Google AdSense and other ad networks, and told to configure ad settings to block gambling pop-ups (government directive reported by BSS)
  • From 19 October 2025 the government said any newspaper, website, portal or electronic media outlet promoting gambling or betting would be blocked without prior notice
  • Publishing proposals tied to the draw of an unauthorised lottery is an offence with a fine of up to Tk 1,000 (Penal Code s. 294A)

Payments

Credit card ban
Not yet verified
Crypto stance
Not yet verified
Payment blocking regime
A court may order any bank account, MFS account, payment gateway, digital or crypto wallet used for gambling to be closed (Gambling Prevention Act, 2026, s. 39), and an investigating officer may freeze an accused's accounts with the court's permission (s. 31(2)). Bangladesh Bank directed all MFS providers on 28 May 2025 to monitor merchants and customers continuously for online gambling, act immediately and inform law enforcement; the government said about 5,000 MFS accounts had been closed by November 2025, and the Finance Minister told parliament in June 2026 that the BFIU had suspended or frozen about 55,000 MFS accounts linked to online gambling and digital hundi.
Currency restrictions
Converting gambling money into cryptocurrency, virtual or digital assets, or moving it through hawala or hundi, is an offence punished as a money laundering predicate (ss. 14 and 25).

Enforcement

ISP blocking
Yes
DNS blocking
Not yet verified
Payment blocking
Yes
App store takedowns
Not yet verified
Administrative penalties
A court or empowered authority may seal or close a gambling place temporarily or permanently (s. 37); offences may be tried by mobile court once added to the schedule of the Mobile Court Act, 2009 (s. 33).
Criminal penalties
Gambling Prevention Act, 2026: gambling up to 2 years or Tk 2 lakh; online gambling up to 5 years or Tk 1 crore; online betting, bookmaking and gambling via VPN, proxy or mirror sites up to 7 years or Tk 5 crore; gambling places up to 5 years or Tk 4 lakh; gambling materials up to 3 years or Tk 10 lakh; match-fixing up to 7 years or Tk 1 crore; spot-fixing up to 5 years or Tk 50 lakh; advertising and sponsorship up to 3 years or Tk 50 lakh; fake SIM or MFS accounts up to 7 years or Tk 50 lakh, rising to 10 years or Tk 5 crore if organised or for laundering. Repeat offences carry up to double the maximum (s. 28). All offences are cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable (s. 34).
Operator liability
Operators, bookmakers, hosting providers, payment gateways and digital platforms are liable, and their directors, executives and managers are deemed to have committed the offence unless they prove lack of knowledge and due diligence (ss. 9, 12 and 26). Servers, domains, accounts and devices may be forfeited (s. 29).
Player liability
Players are liable: any direct or indirect involvement in gambling is an offence (s. 4), and opening or using an online gambling account or depositing money for it is online gambling (s. 2(2)).

Notable actions

  • Media outlets, advertising agencies and platforms carrying gambling ads16 Oct 2025

    Government directive barring gambling and betting advertisements, including through ad networks, with CID, BTRC, NCSA, NTMC, NSI and BFIU enforcing; from 19 October 2025 offending sites were to be blocked without notice

  • MFS accounts used for online gambling4 Nov 2025

    The Chief Adviser's Special Assistant for Posts, Telecommunications and ICT said about 5,000 MFS accounts had been closed and BTRC had begun writing to platforms to curb online gambling

  • MFS accounts linked to online gambling and digital hundi24 Jun 2026

    Finance Minister told parliament the BFIU had suspended or frozen about 55,000 accounts and sent an intelligence report to CID in May 2026, which had filed a case

  • Online betting syndicate in Narsingdi12 Aug 2026

    CID Cyber Police Centre arrested five people accused of running betting platforms on cricket and football, taking deposits through bKash, Nagad, Rocket, Upay, bank accounts and cryptocurrency; nine phones and 20 SIM cards seized

  • Administrator of a betting site controlled from Russia and an associate19 Aug 2026

    CID arrested two men in Rajshahi and Jhenaidah accused of recruiting agents and routing deposits and withdrawals through MFS, bank and crypto accounts

Timeline

  1. 10 Apr 1867

    Public Gambling Act, 1867 enacted for common gaming-houses, later excluding metropolitan areas

  2. 27 Apr 2025

    High Court directs the government to form a committee on celebrity promotion of online gambling sites

  3. 21 May 2025

    Cyber Security Ordinance, 2025 makes online gambling and its promotion an express offence

  4. 28 May 2025

    Bangladesh Bank directs all MFS providers to monitor for and act against online gambling

  5. 16 Oct 2025

    Government declares zero tolerance for gambling advertising and bars media and ad agencies from carrying it

  6. 10 Apr 2026

    Cyber Security Act, 2026 replaces the ordinance, keeping the online gambling offence

  7. 30 Jun 2026

    Parliament passes the Gambling Prevention Bill, 2026 by voice vote

  8. 1 Jul 2026

    Gambling Prevention Act, 2026 takes effect and repeals the 1867 Act; online gambling offence deleted from the Cyber Security Act

  9. 12 Aug 2026

    CID arrests five members of an online betting syndicate in Narsingdi

Outlook

The Act gives the government power to make rules for a national digital blacklist database, NID, SIM and MFS linking, an inter-agency task force and AI-based traffic and transaction monitoring; none had been published on the national law portal at review. An authentic English text may also be gazetted. Expect enforcement to continue through CID raids on betting syndicates, BTRC blocking and BFIU account freezes, with the first prosecutions under the 2026 Act showing how the Cyber Tribunal applies its penalties. The High Court rule on celebrity promotion of gambling sites, issued in April 2025, remains a point to watch.

Frequently asked questions

Is gambling legal in Bangladesh?
No. The Gambling Prevention Act, 2026 makes any direct or indirect involvement in gambling an offence, with up to two years or a fine of up to Tk 2 lakh, and there is no licensing regime. Article 18(2) of the Constitution directs the State to prevent gambling.
Is online betting legal, and can offshore sites take Bangladeshi players?
No. Online betting, including sports, casino, fantasy and e-sports betting, carries up to seven years or a fine of up to Tk 5 crore, and online gambling up to five years or Tk 1 crore. Opening or using an online gambling account is itself covered, so players are liable. BTRC can block offshore sites, apps and mirror sites.
What replaced the Public Gambling Act, 1867?
The Gambling Prevention Act, 2026 (Act No. 98 of 2026), passed by parliament on 30 June 2026 and in force from 1 July 2026. On the same day s. 20 of the Cyber Security Act, 2026, which had covered online gambling since the 2025 ordinance, was deleted.
Can gambling brands advertise or sponsor in Bangladesh?
No. Gambling advertising, sponsorship, affiliate marketing and referral campaigns are offences for the brand, media outlet, platform, influencer, player or celebrity involved, with up to three years or a fine of up to Tk 50 lakh. Since October 2025 the government has told media and ad agencies to block gambling ads and threatened to block sites that carry them.
How are gambling payments policed?
Courts may order bank, MFS, wallet and payment gateway accounts used for gambling to be closed, and handling gambling money is a money laundering predicate offence. Bangladesh Bank told MFS providers in May 2025 to monitor for gambling, and the BFIU had frozen about 55,000 MFS accounts by June 2026.
Who enforces gambling law in Bangladesh?
There is no gambling regulator. The Ministry of Home Affairs leads, the police and CID investigate, BTRC blocks websites and apps, Bangladesh Bank and the BFIU handle payments, and online offences are tried by the Cyber Tribunal.

Sources

  1. Gambling Prevention Act, 2026 (Act No. 98 of 2026, 1 July 2026)

    Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (Laws of Bangladesh) (translated)

    The portal text prints section 19 twice with identical wording. Section 50 provides for an authentic English text; none had been published on the portal at review, so the English renderings in this record are our own translation of the Bangla text, which prevails.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 1 Jul 2026
  2. The Public Gambling Act, 1867 (Act No. II of 1867), marked repealed by the Gambling Prevention Act, 2026

    Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (Laws of Bangladesh)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  3. Cyber Security Ordinance, 2025 (Ordinance No. 25 of 2025, 21 May 2025), marked repealed by the Cyber Security Act, 2026

    Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (Laws of Bangladesh) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 21 May 2025
  4. Cyber Security Act, 2026 (Act No. 81 of 2026, 10 April 2026), consolidated text

    Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (Laws of Bangladesh) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 10 Apr 2026
  5. Cyber Security (Amendment) Act, 2026 (Act No. 99 of 2026, 1 July 2026)

    Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (Laws of Bangladesh) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 1 Jul 2026
  6. Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Article 18(2)

    Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (Laws of Bangladesh)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  7. The Penal Code, 1860 (Act No. XLV of 1860), sections 294A and 294B

    Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (Laws of Bangladesh)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  8. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance, 1976 (Ordinance No. III of 1976), sections 92 and 93

    Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (Laws of Bangladesh)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  9. JS passes Gambling Prevention Bill, 2026

    Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS, state news agency)

    The report says detailed penalties would be finalised during the legislative review process; the enacted text on the Laws of Bangladesh portal sets them out in full, and that text is followed here.

    Archived copy
    Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 30 Jun 2026
  10. Online gambling a criminal offense under Cyber Security Act: Finance Minister

    Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS, state news agency)

    A week later section 20 of the Cyber Security Act, 2026, which the minister described, was deleted by the Cyber Security (Amendment) Act, 2026 when the Gambling Prevention Act, 2026 took effect.

    Archived copy
    Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 24 Jun 2026
  11. Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 16 Oct 2025
  12. Govt to block sites for gambling ads without notice from tomorrow

    Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS, state news agency)

    Archived copy
    Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 18 Oct 2025
  13. Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 4 Nov 2025
  14. CID arrests five members of an online gambling ring in Narsingdi

    Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS, state news agency)

    The report says the case was filed under sections 20(2), 21(2), 24(2) and 27(2) of the Cyber Security Act 2026, although section 20 of that Act had been deleted with effect from 1 July 2026 by Act No. 99 of 2026.

    Archived copy
    Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 13 Aug 2026
  15. Online gambling site admin, associate held

    Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS, state news agency)

    Archived copy
    Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 20 Aug 2026
  16. Tier 3Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 27 Apr 2025

Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.

This page is industry reference information and not legal advice.

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