2024-05-11 18:51:16
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) is deeply concerned about the widespread spread of online gambling in the country, widespread publicity through mainstream media and social media, money laundering through online gambling and the negative impact of widespread gambling. In order to protect the young society from the grip of online gambling addiction, it has called upon the law enforcement agencies to immediately stop all related advertisements and pass anti-gambling laws.
In a statement on Thursday (May 9), the executive director of TIB. Iftekharuzzaman called this.
He 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. Despite the directive of the High Court last year, social media, television; Especially on digital and online platforms including sports channels, there is rampant promotion of betting and gambling advertisements, which is not acceptable in any way.’
The Executive Director of TIB said that online gambling is causing various social problems and said, ‘At various times, we are seeing incidents of gambling addiction and self-inflicted suicide in various news reports at regular intervals. Recently, a 35-year-old youth in Thakurgaon chose to commit suicide after losing Tk 15-20 lakhs in online gambling. Family strife, depression, above all the cases of losing everything in gambling, along with the acquisition of huge wealth through illegal means, are taking place. Addiction to gambling is eroding the morals and values of our promising youth as well as endangering the family, society and state.’
Mentioning the need for multi-pronged initiatives to prevent online gambling, the Executive Director of TIB said, ‘According to Article 18(2) of the Constitution and existing laws, there is an obligation on the government 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 to enact the Prevention of 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 be 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. However, 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 instructions are given to ban surrogate advertising.
On the other hand, there is no spontaneous role of law enforcement in preventing online gambling. To prevent the spread of gambling or betting in the unfettered world of online, first of all, it is necessary to prevent its propaganda and self-motivated initiative of law enforcement forces.
In such a situation, TIB is demanding to revise the draft very quickly by reviewing it with all stakeholders including Information Technology Department, BFIU, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Civil Rights Organizations and making strong demands for its immediate implementation. In addition, the Executive Director of the organization called for the specific ban of all types of advertisements and regular monitoring and effective measures by law enforcement agencies to prevent online gambling.
TIB feels that huge amount of money is also being laundered from the country through online gambling alone, which is a bigger concern. According to the sources of media and criminal investigation department, millions of people, especially young people, are getting addicted to online gambling across the country including from cities to villages. 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 rupees 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 trafficking that is happening in front of our eyes. Similarly, there is a huge business of advertising in this regard, which is illegal and unethical, in full view of all the regulatory agencies.
Although any type of gambling is prohibited by the existing 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. Even a surrogate advertisement for a gambling website can be seen on the jerseys of one of the teams in this year’s BPL.