Bangladesh's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested 115 people in online gambling cases between 1 January and 15 September 2026, some of them Chinese nationals. In 2026 it filed 12 cases, charge-sheeted 88 people, asked the BFIU to suspend 734 MFS and 224 bank accounts, and sent 763 gambling websites and apps to the telecom regulator BTRC for blocking, The Business Standard reported on 4 October 2026.
How the money moves
The same report describes gambling money moving abroad in four stages, from players to local agents, super agents and the organisers, who are said to operate from China, Russia, Malaysia and the UAE and largely remain at large. According to BFIU figures cited in the report, 6,222 bank and MFS accounts linked to gambling received Tk 6,144 crore between 2020 and 2024.
Cases under the new Act
Cases are now being filed under the Gambling Prevention Act 2026 (see what changed on 1 July), such as one by the CID in Khulna in early September 2026 (TBS). Other operations continue under earlier laws: a 14-member network arrested in raids across five districts between June and September was charged in a case filed in May 2026 under the Cyber Security Act (TBS).
Background
The CID launched its nationwide drive against online gambling on 27 May 2025, flagging more than 1,000 MFS agents (The Daily Star).
See also: is online gambling legal in Bangladesh?
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