Should Bangladesh Regulate Online Gambling? Pros and Cons

Online gambling continues to grow worldwide, and while developed countries have already come up with new industry frameworks, countries like Bangladesh stick to the outdated documents. For decades, the state adhered to the 1867 Act, which prohibited any risky entertainment in its territory. In 2025, the government introduced the Cyber Security Ordinance, banning the operations of all domestic iGaming companies. This decision was made to prevent gambling-related harms in Bangladesh, but users can still access online casinos and bookmakers regulated in other jurisdictions. Many gambling advocates highlight the importance of legalizing the sector, claiming it will bring economic benefits to the country. What are the pros and cons of such updated regulations?

Advantages of the Legal Online Gambling Sector in Bangladesh

While the industry landscape remains unclear in 2025, the Cyber Security Ordinance was initiated to ban digital gambling activities. However, many are opposed to this decision, claiming that countries like the UK and the US already regulate the sector and would enjoy multiple benefits from this decision.

Generating Extra Revenue for the State’s Budget

In regulated gambling environments, companies are obliged to pay taxes. The industry generates billions of dollars globally, and this revenue can be used to fund various other sectors, including infrastructure, healthcare, and others. The grey market in Bangladesh is enormous, with over 5 million residents regularly engaging in offshore casino gaming and sports betting. The decision to legalize domestic platforms will bring additional income, which will eventually benefit the entire population.

Higher Consumer Protection and Responsible Gambling

Currently, Bangladesh doesn’t have any licensing authorities or responsible bodies supervising iGaming in the country. This creates higher demand for overseas companies, and not all of them are safe and trusted. If users experience problems with fraudulent service providers or withheld withdrawals, they don’t have any mechanisms to affect the operator. 

Of course, many international websites provide decent conditions. When downloading the 1xBet app for BD, users can count on transparency, fairness, and timely payouts. Still, resolving even the smallest dispute in the grey area may become challenging for customers from Bangladesh. Growing compulsive gambling rates are another concern: the government cannot control users engaging in this risky entertainment, so the number of addicted individuals continues to increase. iGaming legalization can become a benefit due to the following points:

1. Users will be forced to complete thorough verifications
2. Underage individuals will be restricted from gambling-related content
3. Platforms can limit excessive spending by setting limitations
4. Users will get the chance to participate in self-exclusion programs
5. The government will increase awareness of responsible gambling principles

All in all, detailed regulations make the industry more controlled. Many international companies licensed offshore provide players with instant access to cooling-off periods, support groups, and other tools to stick to safer gaming requirements. However, the nationwide regulations may encourage users to join in-country sites and stick to local requirements.

Preventing Illegal Activities

As the experience of the previous decades demonstrates, a full ban on gambling-related activities encourages players to seek illegal alternatives. Since Bangladeshi digital regulations are in their early stages, there are no specific mentions of international platforms. Many online casinos and bookmakers are regulated offshore, creating secure and transparent environments for users. 

On the contrary, some provide services without a license and aren’t a safe place to play games. Without clear regulations, the black market continues to evolve, which poses additional risks like fraud, money laundering, identity theft, and financial crimes. By legalizing and monitoring online gambling, Bangladesh can prevent the development of illegal networks and bring them into the legal economy under tight supervision.

Technological and Economic Growth

While it may seem surprising, online casinos directly affect technological advancement globally. As users are becoming pickier, iGaming companies are forced to implement the latest innovations to meet their demands. Regulated online gambling boosts Fintech, cybersecurity, and software development. In addition to this, leading operators create lots of jobs, significantly affecting the market in the region. In the 2020s, unemployment rates are high in Bangladesh, and the possibility of adding workplaces in customer service, compliance, and marketing is eventually beneficial for the population.

Disadvantages of Legalizing iGaming in Bangladesh

With the multiple benefits of a regulated online gambling industry, Bangladesh still has some reasons why it has the potential to remain uncontrolled in the upcoming years. Traditionally, this entertainment is Haram (prohibited) in Muslim countries, so the cultural impact continues to prevail in the country. Despite the high engagement in online casinos and bookmakers, many residents consider gambling ethically wrong.

In addition, enforcing new regulations is complicated and costly for the government. To legalize online gambling, Bangladesh will have to initiate a responsible body that will supervise the industry and issue licenses. These difficulties are complemented by the increasing presence of international platforms that are barely possible to regulate. Even if the country prohibits overseas online casinos, users will still have the chance to access crypto sites or use VPNs to get around restrictions. In this case, a partial system where domestic and foreign operators co-exist is highly possible. Regardless of the potential challenges, implementing an updated legal framework can appear beneficial for customers, gambling companies, and the government so that Bangladesh may consider this model in the future.

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