Govt plans to slow internet for online-betting phone numbers

The government is considering regulating internet speeds for phone numbers associated with online betting, said Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser in charge of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, at a meeting in Dhaka on Tuesday (November 4).

He added that around 5,000 mobile financial service accounts tied to gambling have already been shut, and that regulators are coordinating with platforms and operators to intensify the crackdown.

According to the official, the telecom regulator has begun emailing platform operators as part of a continuing crackdown. 

A guideline on browser and AdSense configurations for media outlets has been drafted and is under vetting at the information ministry, alongside a separate digital advertising guideline to be published after approval, he added.

Authorities plan a common database to store and monitor information with input from relevant agencies, platforms and operators, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb said, adding a tripartite meeting with the Election Commission will be held soon to align e-KYC for SIMs and MFS.

Officials discussed identifying “pseudo members” of betting networks, slowing links through traffic monitoring and blocking verified numbers or accounts while ensuring due process and compliance. 

Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb said a coordinated effort via a central platform is aimed at preserving social stability, protecting youth and curbing money laundering.

BTRC Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Emdadul Bari said limiting active SIMs per person to 10 after December 16 would aid the effort, while stressing the need to identify bettors. 

Payments representatives noted that syncing SIMs, mobile numbers and national IDs could resolve much of the problem, he said. 

A bKash representative said that 397 mobile numbers associated with betting were blocked over the past two weeks, and a crawling engine is being developed to enhance online tracking, he added.

Participants proposed creating a specialised agency—similar to the Department of Narcotics Control—for online scams and gambling, and strengthening cross-domain monitoring. 

Mobile operators, ISPs, international internet gateway providers, law enforcers and MFS companies attended the meeting.