HC orders 30-day report on online gambling crackdown

The High Court (HC) has directed the government to investigate and report within 30 days on the progress of actions taken against individuals and entities involved in the promotion and financial operations of online gambling platforms.
The order was issued Sunday by the bench of Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque and Justice Aynun Nahar Siddiqua following a writ petition filed by human rights group Law and Life Foundation Trust.
The court also issued two separate rules. The first asked why authorities should not be instructed to remove all internet gateways and digital access points—ranging from social media apps to digital ad platforms—linked to online gambling. The second questioned why a dedicated 24/7 monitoring cell should not be formed to oversee online gambling activities and ensure timely intervention.
Respondents named in the order include the secretaries of the ministries of Post and Telecommunications, Information and Broadcasting, Home Affairs, and Law, as well as the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the Financial Intelligence Unit of Bangladesh Bank, and the Inspector General of Police. They have been asked to respond within four weeks.
The petition, filed by Barrister Muhammad Humayun Kabir, follows an unaddressed legal notice sent to the government on April 16, calling for an immediate clampdown on all platforms and financial gateways facilitating online gambling.
The petition highlights a growing crisis. Despite legal prohibitions under Bangladeshi law, online gambling has surged unchecked, fueled by smartphone access, lax oversight, and the lure of easy money. Citing media reports, the petition estimates that over 5 million Bangladeshis are currently addicted to online gambling—including a rising number of minors.
Foreign casino operators, often working with domestic syndicates, are reportedly siphoning off vast sums of money from the country. The petition also flagged celebrity endorsements, alleging that prominent public figures are using their personal social media to promote gambling apps for financial gain.
Platforms such as 1xBet, as well as other betting apps, are said to be operating freely using local bank cards and mobile financial services. In some cases, local agents of these payment services are allegedly complicit.
With the High Court now demanding a formal affidavit on progress, the spotlight is firmly on the government’s ability—and willingness—to respond to what legal activists are calling a “digital epidemic.”