Bangladesh’s gambling legislation is stuck in the 19th century. The main regulatory act remains the Public Gambling Act of 1867, a law passed by the British colonial authorities long before the advent of the internet. The document prohibits visiting “public gambling houses” and participating in games for money, but says nothing about digital platforms. This legal uncertainty has created a grey area in which online casinos exist without being directly prohibited, but also without being legalised.
In 2025, the situation changed dramatically. The authorities passed the Cyber Security Ordinance, a new law that directly criminalises online gambling. Now, organising, promoting or participating in online gambling is punishable by imprisonment for up to two years or a fine of up to 1 crore taka (approximately £80,000). The law is retroactive and applies not only to operators but also to ordinary players. Against the backdrop of these changes, it is interesting to analyse how international operators such as Elon Casino, launched in 2023 at https://elon-casinos.net/, are developing their compliance strategies.
Legal Framework and Its Contradictions
Article 18(2) of the Constitution of Bangladesh explicitly obliges the state to take effective measures to prevent all forms of gambling. This policy provision has no direct effect in the courts, but it determines the policy of the legislature. In practice, there are several disparate regulations from the colonial period and later additions:
- The Public Gambling Act of 1867, with fines of 200 taka for organisers and 100 taka for players;
- Section 294A of the Penal Code of 1860, regulating lotteries and public games;
- Section 92 of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance 1976 on illegal gambling in the metropolitan area;
- The Foreign Exchange Regulation Act 1947, prohibiting transactions with cryptocurrencies.
The fines are symbolic — 100-200 taka — reflecting outdated colonial-era norms. Real prosecution concerns physical establishments. The police and Rapid Action Battalion regularly raid illegal casinos, but online activity on sites such as Elons Casino Bangladesh remained outside the scope of attention until 2025.
The Cyber Security Ordinance 2025 has radically changed the balance. Section 20 directly prohibits the creation, operation and promotion of online gambling platforms. Sections 21 and 22 criminalise financial transactions and manipulations related to gambling. Punishments have increased from symbolic fines to actual prison terms.
Law Enforcement and Technological Control
In May 2025, the Criminal Investigation Department launched a nationwide campaign against online gambling. The initial results are impressive: more than 1,000 mobile financial service agents (bKash, Nagad, Rocket) involved in processing illegal transactions have been identified. Bangladesh Bank has received lists with recommendations to revoke licences and impose financial sanctions.
The central bank went further and required all financial institutions to implement artificial intelligence systems to monitor suspicious transactions. The directive of 28 May 2025 requires an immediate response when signs of gambling activity are detected, prompt notification of law enforcement agencies, and verification that registered sellers are operating strictly within the scope of their declared activities.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission blocks access to gambling sites, but the effectiveness of these measures is questionable — Elon Casinos is still operating without any problems or with a VPN. Neighbouring India has faced a similar problem — a report by the All India Gaming Federation recorded 1.6 billion visits to unlicensed platforms in three months, demonstrating the ineffectiveness of blocking against VPNs and mirrors.
Offshore Licences as a Solution
In the face of a complete ban on local licensing, international operators are turning to jurisdictions with liberal regulations. Elons Casino Bangladesh, owned by Sknet Tech Ltd with offices in Belize, operates under two licences:
- Curacao Gaming Authority — one of the oldest offshore jurisdictions for online gambling;
- State of Anjouan (Comoros Islands) — licence under the Computer Gaming Licensing Act 007 of 2005.
These documents do not legalise activities in Bangladesh, but provide legal cover for working with an international audience. Technically, Elon Casinos provides services from servers outside the country, which creates jurisdictional uncertainty — players formally interact with a foreign company.
Adaptation to the Local Market
Despite the legal ban, Elons Casino Bangladesh actively works with the Bangladeshi audience through the localisation of its services. The national currency, the Bangladeshi taka (BDT), is supported, which simplifies settlements and eliminates currency risks. Popular local payment systems bKash, Nagad and Rocket are integrated — the very services whose agents have been targeted by the authorities.
Risks for Players
The new legislation poses real threats to users. Although mass arrests of players are unlikely due to the technical complexity of tracking them, there are specific risks:
- Bank accounts may be frozen if AI systems detect suspicious transactions with payment agents.
- Summons for questioning by the Criminal Investigation Department in the case of large money transfers;
- Potential criminal charges under Section 20 of the Cyber Security Ordinance in the event of a targeted investigation;
- Freezing of funds in mobile financial service accounts without the possibility of appeal.
An additional danger is the lack of legal protection. If Elon Casinos refuses to pay out winnings or blocks an account, the player will not be able to appeal to a Bangladeshi court, as the activity itself is illegal. Offshore regulators theoretically consider complaints, but in practice it is difficult to achieve justice.
Conclusion
Bangladesh maintains a strict anti-gambling stance, reinforced by the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025 with penalties of up to two years in prison and a fine of $80,000. There is no local licensing, and the authorities use AI to monitor financial transactions and have identified more than 1,000 payment system agents. Elons Casino Bangladesh, operated by Sknet Tech Ltd, operates under Curacao and Anjouan licences, which does not legalise its activities in the country. Adaptation includes BDT support, bKash/Nagad/Rocket integration, and a minimum deposit of 10 taka. Players risk account blocking and criminal prosecution in the absence of legal protection for disputed situations.
