To save youth from destruction, Bangladesh vows zero tolerance for illegal gambling

(AsiaGameHub) –   Lawmakers in Bangladesh have pledged to roll out a nationwide crackdown on gambling and online betting, stressing that coordinated targeted measures are imminent for the sector.

Actions will kick off after the country’s parliament adjourns on 30 April, as confirmed by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, who promised a “zero tolerance” policy on gambling alongside drug use, in response to concerns raised by Zainul Abdin Farroque, the parliament member representing the Noakhali-2 constituency.

“To save the youth from destruction, the government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy,” stated Ahmed, who confirmed that law enforcement agencies will carry out joint operations to dismantle networks tied to drugs and gambling.

Most forms of gambling remain prohibited in Bangladesh under the 1867 Public Gaming Act, which leaves online gambling operating in an unregulated grey area with no domestic oversight.

Ahmed’s push to curb online gambling comes even though Bangladesh passed the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025 last year, which stipulates penalties of two years in prison and fines of up to $80,000 for people found operating or promoting online gambling services.

In May 2025, Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department announced that it had identified more than 1,000 financial service agents suspected of being linked to illegal gambling transactions, and their details were submitted to the Bangladesh Bank.

However, the latest concerns from politicians indicate that the law has not delivered the expected effect of effectively targeting the black market, so enforcement actions are now set to be intensified.

This move also comes as the broader Bangladesh economy has seen slowing growth, further prompting the country’s home ministry to accelerate its actions in a bid to stop the flow of underground funds within the country.

Latest economic reports show that growth has dropped to between 3.7 and 4.0%, significantly lower than the historical average of 6–7%.

Lessons from its larger neighbours

The end of April also marks the start of stricter enforcement actions for Bangladesh’s neighbour, India.

Last week, Indian lawmakers confirmed that they will begin enforcing a ban on online real money gaming from 1 May, as laid out in the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules (PROGA 2025).

The Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI) has been assigned to oversee compliance with the regulatory framework, which was passed by India’s parliament in August 2025.

The OGAI will categorize games under the new legislation and holds the authority to investigate illegal gambling activities.