New anti-online gambling law enacted

The government has enacted the Gambling Prevention Act, 2026, replacing the colonial-era Public Gambling Act, 1867, to tackle the growing threat of online gambling, sports betting and digital gambling networks.
The new law, which came into effect on July 1 following publication in the official gazette after receiving the President's assent, introduces legal definitions for online gambling, sports betting, virtual casinos, VPN-enabled gambling, match-fixing and other digital gambling-related offences.
Under the law, offences involving organised gambling or money laundering through fake SIMs, fraudulent mobile financial service (MFS) accounts or cryptocurrency are punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of up to Tk 50 million.
Operating online gambling or betting platforms carries penalties of up to seven years in prison and a Tk 50 million fine, while online gambling offences are punishable by up to five years' imprisonment or a Tk 10 million fine.
The law provides for up to two years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk 200,000, or both for conventional gambling offences.
Running online betting operations, acting as a bookmaker, using VPNs or mirror sites to facilitate gambling, or operating gambling networks through digital infrastructure carries a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment and a fine of up to Tk 50 million.