Bangladesh begins crackdown on online gambling
The CID will be carrying out enforcement actions under the newly enacted Cyber Security Ordinance 2025.
Bangladesh.- The Bangladesh Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has announced the launch of a nationwide crackdown on online gambling and betting platforms operating illegally in the country. It says the campaign is a response to increasing concerns about the social and financial impact of online gambling, especially on young Bangladeshis.
The CID will be carrying out enforcement actions under the newly enacted Cyber Security Ordinance 2025, which criminalises online gambling and stipulates penalties for violations. Section 20 of the act establishes up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to one crore taka (€ 72,518), or both for creating, operating, or promoting an online gambling platform. Sections 21 and 22 prohibit gambling transactions and manipulation.
The CID said it had identified more than 1,000 mobile financial services (MFS) agents suspected of facilitating transactions for illegal online gambling and has reported them to the Bangladesh Bank, urging for the cancellation of their licences and financial sanctions. It has asked the public to report suspicious apps, websites or numbers to the Cyber Police Centre.
