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SANGSAD BHABAN, June 24, 2026 (BSS)- The government has brought online gambling under the ambit of criminal offenses through the Cyber Security Act 2026 as part of its efforts to curb the growing menace of digital betting and related financial crimes, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told parliament today.

Responding to a starred tabled question from NCP MP Abdullah Al Amin elected from Narayanganj-4 in the House, the minister said the Cyber Security Act 2026, issued on April 10 this year, includes provisions under Section 20 that make online gambling a punishable offense.

Under the law, creating or operating any portal, app or device for gambling in cyberspace, participating in online gambling, assisting or encouraging such activities, taking part in advertisements promoting gambling, and directly or indirectly publicising or marketing gambling-related activities are all punishable offences, he said.

The punishment for such offences is imprisonment for up to two years, a fine of up to Taka one crore, or both.

The minister also informed the House that the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has suspended or frozen transactions of around 55,000 Mobile Financial Service (MFS) accounts linked to online gambling and digital hundi operations.

Following the enactment of the Cyber Security Act 2026, the BFIU prepared an intelligence report on online gambling and submitted it to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in May 2026, he said.

The CID has already filed a case in connection with the matter and investigations are currently underway, he said. 

The minister said the BFIU is continuing to monitor transactions associated with online gambling and is preparing further intelligence reports to identify those involved in such activities.

Amir Khosru also noted that Bangladesh Bank had earlier issued a directive on May 28, 2025 to all Mobile Financial Service providers in response to the rise in online gambling activities.

Under the circular, MFS providers were instructed to maintain continuous monitoring of merchants and customers to detect involvement in online gambling. 

“If any merchant or customer is found to be engaged in such activities, providers must take immediate action and inform the relevant law enforcement agencies,” he said.

In addition, Bangladesh Bank and other relevant authorities have been conducting regular awareness campaigns to educate customers about the harmful effects of online gambling and related financial crimes, the minister said.