The High Court of Bangladesh has ordered the formation of a high-level government committee to investigate the promotion of online gambling and betting platforms, particularly through celebrity endorsements on social and traditional media channels.
The directive, issued on April 27 by a bench comprising Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi, followed a public interest writ petition that raised concerns over the growing influence of online gambling and its perceived links to money laundering and other financial crimes.
The seven-member committee will include senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, and the Inspector General of Police. The committee has been tasked with submitting a comprehensive report within 90 days.
“The committee can take expert opinions if necessary to prepare a comprehensive report,” the court noted in its order.
The investigation will cover the operations of online gambling platforms, the financial channels used to facilitate betting, and the role of celebrities in promoting such activities. The court also issued a rule asking why the inaction of authorities in stopping gambling advertisements should not be declared illegal.
The ruling invoked Article 18(2) and Article 31 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, the Public Gambling Act of 1867, and Section 92 of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance, 1976, as the legal basis for the directive.
Supreme Court lawyer Mahin M Rahman, who represented the petitioner alongside Barrister Ashiqur Rahman, told reporters that the case was filed in response to a surge in online gambling promotions, often featuring high-profile public figures.
The original petition, filed by Supreme Court lawyer Tanjim Rafeed on April 16, called for the government to take permanent, systemic action to curb the digital proliferation of gambling platforms. It also urged the formation of a dedicated task force with the authority to recommend regulatory reforms and monitor violations.
This latest judicial order builds on previous High Court rulings aimed at stamping out gambling in the country. In a 2020 judgment, the court declared all forms of gambling, including indoor games like card games and dice, illegal across Bangladesh.
That ruling also instructed authorities to seize gambling equipment and block online access to related platforms. The Bangladesh Bank was directed to ensure that mobile financial service providers such as bKash, Nagad, and Rocket were not used to process gambling-related transactions.
Despite these earlier measures, Rahman said the prevalence of online betting continues to grow, with celebrities increasingly featured in promotional campaigns that target younger audiences across social media platforms. The government entities named in the court order have been given four weeks to respond to the rule.
https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2025/05/01/103299-bangladesh-high-court-directs-government-to-probe-online-gambling-ads-and-celebrity-endorsements
