Bangladesh seeks action report on gambling ad ban in 30 days
The High Court Division of Bangladesh has ordered the government to investigate online gambling promotions and ads, submitting a progress report in affidavit form within 30 days, according to local media reports.
The order, issued on 4 May 2025 by Justices Kazi Zinat Hoque and Aynun Nahar Siddiqua, came during a hearing on a writ petition by Barrister Muhammad Humayun Kabir for the human rights group Law and Life Foundation Trust. The petition stated that online gambling had widely proliferated despite constitutional and legal prohibitions.
The court issued a directive requiring the government to justify why access to all gambling-related platforms through internet gateways, such as social media, streaming services, and mobile apps like YouTube, WhatsApp, TikTok, and Google 바카라 Store, should not be revoked. Additionally, the court inquired why a specialised monitoring unit had not been established to oversee these activities continuously.
A response has been sought from the Secretaries of the Ministries of Home Affairs, Information and Broadcasting, Law, and Post and Telecommunications, as well as the Financial Intelligence Unit of Bangladesh Bank, the BTRC, and the Inspector General of Police. A four-week period has been allocated for their replies.
Online gambling faces heat in B’desh
Prior to this, on 27 April 2025, another High Court bench—comprising Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi—directed the formation of a seven-member committee to probe the role of celebrities and influencers in promoting online gambling.
The committee includes secretaries from the Ministries of Home Affairs, Cultural Affairs, and ICT, the IGP, and the BTRC chairman. It has been given 90 days to submit findings.
The court raised specific concerns about celebrities endorsing gambling platforms on social and mainstream media. It questioned why the failure to act against such promotions should not be declared illegal.
Over 5 million gamble online
Lawyer Mahin M Rahman, who filed this second petition, noted that several platforms are allegedly being used for illegal gambling via mobile banking and local cards, often with the help of agents.
According to media reports cited in the writs, an estimated five million people in Bangladesh are now engaged in online gambling, including youths and children. Many are said to be losing livelihoods, while vast sums are being siphoned abroad by foreign operators and local syndicates.
The twin rulings demonstrate the growing judicial scrutiny to regulate online gambling, with the court placing responsibility on state institutions to curb the digital betting surge and protect the public.
