Best Bangladesh betting sites

Population: 161.000.000
Active players: 13.000.000
Currency: Bangladeshi Taka (BDT)
Regulated gambling products: No form of gambling is allowed
Operator types: Unlicensed online bookies and casinos
Designated Authority: No designated gambling authority
Status: Unregulated

Bangladesh is a South Asian country in the bay of Bengal, being part of Pakistan until 1971 when it gained its independence. A parliamentary constitutional republic subsequently formed in 1991. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 is still the only piece of legislation around gambling. There are no local betting sites in Bangladesh because they are prohibited, as all forms of gambling are. There used to be an exception with horse racing betting for many years. However, it is not in effect anymore.

The horse race track (Ramma Race Course) is now a tourist attraction, the Suhrawardy Udyan, which serves as a cemetery for three of the country’s greatest leaders, Sher-i-Bangla A.k. Fazlul Huq, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and Khwaja Nazimuddin. The archaic law neither applies to, nor has any reference on online betting. As a result, punters are betting on whichever site they want, including major international bookies like Bet365 Bangladesh and 1xbet bd.

Betting in Bangladesh - 5 things to know

• All forms of gambling are illegal
• No international bookies have a license in Bangladesh
• The only Gambling Act dates back to 1867
• Horse racing was the only form of legal betting
• Online betting falls under no legal framework

Best betting sites in Bangladesh

With locals being able to access any bookmaker they wish, we list the ones that deliver a wide variety of betting markets, along with competitive odds and great promotions on a daily basis.

Online betting in Bangladesh: The legal framework

The first and only gambling law is the Public Gambling Act of 1867 and betting in Bangladesh falls under it. It doesn’t address online gambling, which is natural when you consider how old it is. There is no designated gambling regulator either. The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs basically ensures that gambling is not taking place in Bangladesh, along with the police which has the same authority. No betting licenses are up for grabs and there is also no tax model in place for betting companies, since they do not operate locally.

There is a reference on the Amusements Tax Act of 1922 on taxes on betting, but still, no specific figures are available. All forms of gambling are illegal. Remember that we’re talking about a Muslim country, traditionally having an anti-gambling attitude. Yet, there are no restricted sites and players can enjoy online betting. An international betting site in Bangladesh can be easily accessed by local punters since no measures are taken against them. Online payments on the other hand are under close watch from the government, on which we will refer shortly below.

Essential information for bettors

The best thing about being only able to place bets online is that there is no tax applying to your winnings. No measures are in place against players who opt for online bookies either. Therefore, find a Bangladesh betting site that accepts players from your country, open an account and bet on. It’s advised that you stick to e-wallets in order to have safer and faster withdrawals because banks are monitoring the online use of credit cards.

When betting online, remember that you are not violating any law. Gambling is only illegal in land-based premises. Many internationally renowned bookmakers offer their services to Bangladeshi players, some of them providing local language and currency as well.

Bangladesh bet: How to deposit at online bookies

The use of payment methods other than the traditional ones is common in the country. The Bangladesh Bank though has issued a notice to commercial banks, in order to ask for an ‘online transaction authorization form’ (OTAF) from their clients for any foreign payment that is made, in an effort to limit transactions that might be connected with illegal gambling or money laundering.  So, try to avoid credit card payments.

Skrill and Neteller are available in Bangladesh and are a common way of funding your betting account while keeping your anonymity and achieving fast withdrawal times. Other commonly used e-wallets are iPay and Nagad, which will also ensure a safe online payment environment.

List of betting sites accepting Bangladeshi Taka

We present you a list of the bookmakers that offer betting in Bangladeshi Taka (BDT).

The future of online betting in Bangladesh

As is the norm with most Muslim countries, all forms of gambling are prohibited in Bangladesh. This is something that is not really possible to change in the coming years and there are no such indications either. What could change, is for the state - and banks - to keep a more lenient stance towards online payments. Authorities are constantly searching for illegal gambling premises, trying to impose measures and restrictions. International bookies are keeping an eye on possible changes since sports betting in Bangladesh constitutes a common activity. However, the future does not look very bright for the time being.

The complete list of bookmakers in Bangladesh