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Cabinet Clears Bangladesh Gambling Prevention Bill Draft
Author:Carla Calderon
June 20, 2026
2 min.read
The Bangladesh government’s Cabinet has endorsed the draft of the Gambling Prevention Act 2026, which is going to provide a new set of regulations for dealing with issues related to gambling, especially through digital channels. The bill is intended to bring about changes in the legislation regarding gambling in the country and will replace the existing laws that date back to 1867.
New Legal Framework
The new draft is supposed to substitute the Public Gambling Act from 1867. According to the authorities, this legislation does not correspond to the current realities of gambling activity. Due to the rapid development of technology, online and offline gambling has expanded and requires updated regulations to control this problem.
The new draft law will help establish clear definitions of a broader range of activities connected to gambling. In particular, the list includes online gambling, remote gambling, gambling through digital platforms, digital wallets, bookmakers, betting, match-fixing, and spot-fixing.
Thus, the draft aims to provide the legal basis for addressing the issues related to technology-driven gambling activity, in particular, betting and associated offenses.
Scope Of The Draft
The proposed legislation covers a broad range of terms connected to gambling and betting. By defining online gambling, digital gambling platforms, and digital wallets, the bill seeks to bring digital transactions and online activity within the scope of the law.
It also includes bookmakers, betting, match-fixing, and spot-fixing among the activities it addresses. The use of these terms implies that the bill is not just about gambling but is about behavior connected to manipulation and gambling in sports events.
This particular bill includes provisions for punishment that can include fines as well as imprisonment based on the nature of the violation. The exact punishment would depend on how the law is applied once it moves through the legislative process.
Cabinet Approval
The bill was approved in principle during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Following that approval, the draft will now undergo final legal review before it proceeds further in the legislative process.
That review will determine the form the bill takes as it advances toward possible enactment. For now, the Cabinet’s decision marks the first major step in moving the proposed Gambling Prevention Act, 2026 forward.
The approval in principle shows that the government is treating gambling regulation as an area that needs formal updating. With the current law dating back more than a century, the draft is intended to bring the legal framework closer to the realities of current digital activity.
Next Legislative Step
The draft law still has to complete the final legal scrutiny before it can move ahead. Even so, the Cabinet’s approval places the issue firmly on the legislative agenda, with the government seeking to respond to the growth of online and technology-based gambling.
If passed, the Gambling Prevention Act, 2026, would become the legal basis for dealing with a wider range of gambling-related activities in Bangladesh. For now, the proposal remains under review as it moves through the next phase of the process.
Source: Focus Gaming News