TLDR Bangladesh’s parliament passed the Gambling Prevention Bill on July 1, 2026. The law replaces the 1867 Public Gambling Act and targets online and digital gambling. Online gambling offenses carry up to 5 years in prison and fines up to Tk 1 crore. Online betting participation carries penalties up to 7 years in prison and Tk 5 crore fines. Parliament also passed a cyber law amendment removing gambling punishment from the Cyber Security Act.
Bangladesh’s parliament passed a new gambling law on July 1. The law is called the Gambling Prevention Bill.
It replaces an old law from 1867. That law was written during colonial rule and did not cover modern technology.
The new bill covers online gambling, casino gambling, and match-fixing. It also covers digital betting platforms and virtual private networks used to access them.
Who Introduced the Bill
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed brought the bill to parliament. He acted on advice from the parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry.
Lawmakers from different parties spoke during the debate. Most supported the goal of the bill.
Some raised concerns about how police would enforce it. National Citizen Party MP Akhter Hossen said police should not search or block websites without court approval.
Nazibur Rahman from Jamaat made a similar point. He said the bill’s police powers might conflict with existing criminal procedure rules.
The home minister responded to these concerns. He said requiring court approval first could let gambling sites remove evidence before police act.
He also said police already have similar powers under other laws. The bill still passed without any lawmakers voting against it.
Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam said his side backed the bill. He said he wished some proposed changes had been included.
He asked the government to make sure the law