Bangladesh is preparing to overhaul its gambling legislation by replacing the Gambling Act of 1867 with a modern legal framework aimed at strengthening the country’s ban on betting and online gambling.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced the plan while speaking at the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF), according to state-owned BSS News.
He said the rise of online gambling has become a “major threat” to Bangladesh’s economy, social stability and youth, arguing that existing laws are no longer sufficient to address technology-driven betting activity.
Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said:
The drafting process of the new law is in its final stage and the bill will be placed in the next session of parliament for passage.
The proposed reform would replace legislation dating back more than 150 years, bringing Bangladesh’s legal framework in line with current digital realities and enforcement challenges.
Officials say the updated law is intended to provide clearer legal tools to combat online gambling platforms and strengthen enforcement against illegal betting activity.
Gambling is largely prohibited in Bangladesh under current law, with only limited exceptions such as government-approved lotteries and betting on certain horse racing events.
The government’s latest move signals an effort to reinforce those restrictions and extend them explicitly to online and technology-enabled gambling platforms.
