Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has expressed deep concern about the widespread blowout of online gambling in the country, widespread publicity on mainstream media and social media, money laundering through online gambling and the negative impact of widespread gambling.
TIB feels that despite clear instructions from the Supreme Court, no visible initiative has been taken to ban online gambling. On the other hand, gambling advertisements are being broadcast on satellite TV channels and social media.
This concern of TIB was informed in the press release signed by Mohammad Touhidul Islam, Director of Outreach and Communication of the organization sent to the media on Thursday (May 9).
In the press release, TIB called upon the law enforcement agencies to immediately stop all related advertisements and enact anti-gambling laws to protect a large section of the public, especially the youth, from the grip of online gambling addiction.
Expressing concern, TIB said that although any kind of gambling is prohibited in the current laws of the country; online gambling is being promoted and spread through various strategies. Various popular sports such as IPL, BPL and other popular sports are being aired by different betting sites at various times in different forms or in the form of ‘surrogate’ advertisements. So much so that a surrogate advertisement of a gambling website can be seen on the jersey of a team in this year’s BPL.
In this context, the executive director of TIB Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, we are observing with great concern that online gambling advertising festival is going on in the country. Taking advantage of the weakness of the law and putting the country in dire straits just for the sake of profit does not set an example of a responsible media. Recently, advertisements of online gambling sites are also appearing on various billboards in the city.
He said that even after the directive of the High Court last year, there is rampant promotion of betting and gambling advertisements on digital and online platforms, social media, television; especially sports channels, which is not acceptable in any way.
Mentioning the evils of such advertisements, TIB’s executive director said, TIB thinks that a huge amount of money is being laundered from the country only through online gambling, which is a matter of greater concern! According to the sources of media and criminal investigation department, millions of people from cities to villages across the country, especially the youth, are getting addicted to online gambling.
Through this, huge sums of money are laundered through various channels including mobile financial services, e-banking, credit cards, cryptocurrencies. Most of the online gambling apps are operated from Russia, Malaysia and Indonesia but they have local agents in different parts of Bangladesh.
These agents exchange money with gambling participants through mobile banking. Again, thousands of crores of taka are being smuggled abroad through these agents. However, no strategic initiative or effort is known by any responsible organization including Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) to prevent this laundering happening in front of our eyes.
Similarly, the huge business of advertising is going on in front of the eyes of all the regulatory agencies, which is illegal and unethical!
Mentioning that various social problems are also arising due to online gambling, the executive director of TIB said, “At various times, we see cases of gambling addiction and self-inflicted suicide in various news at regular intervals. Recently, a 35-year-old youth in Thakurgaon committed suicide after losing Tk 15-20 lakh in online gambling. Family turmoil, strife, depression, above all the cases of losing everything in gambling, along with gaining huge wealth through illegal means are taking place.
He said, gambling addiction is endangering the family, society and state along with the decay of morals and values of our promising youth.
Mentioning the need for multifaceted initiatives to prevent online gambling Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, according to Article 18(2) of the Constitution and existing laws, the government has an obligation to prevent any form of gambling. However, the 157-year-old law is still being used to prevent gambling in the country.
Although the government has taken the initiative of enacting ‘Anti-Gambling Act-2023’; it is still in the draft stage. However, in the current context, strict and up-to-date laws to prevent gambling should have been enacted and implemented earlier.
According to media sources, the law is still in the draft stage. Section 6 of the draft law describes the nature of remote gambling and online gambling and Section 7 deals with betting. But betting, the world’s most popular form of online gambling promotion, has been largely ignored by surrogate advertising campaigns and money laundering links to online betting.
Again, as per clause 4.5.3 (d) of the National Broadcasting Code, advertising of organizations/companies/individuals related to betting or gambling is prohibited, but no directive is given to ban surrogate advertising.
On the other hand, there is no spontaneous role of law enforcement in curbing online gambling. To prevent the spread of gambling or betting in the unfettered world of online, first of all it is necessary to stop its propaganda and take self-motivated initiative of law enforcement agencies.
In such a situation, TIB is demanding that the draft be amended very quickly through the review with all stakeholders including the Information Technology Department, BFIU, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Civil Rights Organizations and immediate implementation of the law.
In addition, TIB called for a specific ban on all forms of advertising related to online gambling and regular monitoring and effective measures by law enforcement agencies.