Dhaka, November 13, 2025 — In a major move to curb illicit financial activity, Bangladesh Bank has ordered all mobile financial service (MFS) providers to immediately block transactions tied to online gambling and betting. The sweeping directive, issued to 13 MFS operators, follows instructions from the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division and forms part of a wider government crackdown on illegal digital payments.
Officials said the central bank’s decision came amid mounting evidence that some MFS agents and merchants were funneling large sums to foreign gambling sites through layered digital transfers designed to evade detection. The regulator warned that MFS platforms were increasingly being used to launder money abroad, urging operators to strengthen oversight and compliance.
AI-Based Monitoring and Account Tracking
Under the order, leading MFS platforms — including bKash, Nagad, and Rocket — must compile lists of accounts suspected of facilitating gambling transactions and submit them to the central bank. Operators have also been told to establish dedicated monitoring teams and deploy AI-driven systems capable of detecting and flagging suspicious transfers in real time.
In addition, providers are required to create public reporting tools, such as complaint portals and helplines, allowing users to report gambling-linked activity.
A senior Bangladesh Bank official said the total amount siphoned abroad through online gambling could exceed Tk5,000 crore (about US$425 million), though a full assessment has yet to be made. The official noted that despite the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) blocking gambling websites, many users continue to access them via VPNs, complicating enforcement.
The central bank has called a review meeting with seven MFS providers on November 6 to evaluate their monitoring systems and discuss further regulatory support.
Part of a Wider Government Crackdown
The directive is part of a broader government campaign led by the BTRC, the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), and other law enforcement bodies to dismantle online gambling networks.
At a recent meeting in Dhaka, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, said around 5,000 MFS accounts linked to gambling have already been shut down. He added that authorities are working with international platforms to restrict gambling activity and developing a shared national database to track offenders across agencies.
The government is also considering measures such as slowing internet traffic for numbers linked to online betting and integrating SIM registration data with MFS e-KYC systems through coordination with the Election Commission.
New SIM and Advertising Rules
BTRC Chairman Emdad Ul Bari announced a new cap of 10 SIM cards per user, effective December 16, 2025, to curb the creation of multiple anonymous accounts.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information is finalizing a digital advertising code that will require media outlets and online platforms to block gambling-related ads, including through Google AdSense and other networks. Under new rules, any media outlet promoting gambling, betting, or pornography may be blocked without prior notice, with violations punishable under the Cyber Security Act 2025 and Pornography Control Act 2012.
Financial and Legal Coordination
The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) is coordinating with banks and MFS operators to enhance data-sharing on suspicious transactions. AI-based monitoring and web-crawling tools are being introduced to detect betting networks and money-laundering activity online.
MFS providers said they were cooperating fully with authorities. bKash confirmed deactivating 397 numbers in two weeks over gambling-related activity. Representatives from Nagad and bKash said both companies routinely flag and report suspicious transactions to the BFIU and assist law enforcement as required.
Experts, including former Bank Asia Managing Director Md Arfan Ali and former BIBM Director General Toufique Ahmed Chowdhury, said financial institutions must strengthen monitoring systems to better detect illegal transfers, noting that inter-agency coordination remains essential since the central bank lacks the authority to block websites or apps directly.
Balancing Oversight and Digital Growth
While tightening controls on gambling, the government is also promoting legitimate digital activities. Earlier this year, esports was officially recognized as a sport under the National Sports Council Act 2018, part of an effort to encourage a regulated and “healthy gaming culture.”
Authorities say the aim is to ensure that Bangladesh’s booming digital payment sector — now serving more than 130 million users and processing over US$6 billion monthly — remains secure and transparent.
Officials stressed that enforcement will focus on preventing financial crime without hindering innovation, marking one of the country’s most coordinated drives yet to protect its digital economy from fraud, gambling, and moral risk.
