5.0m people involved in online gambling: Palak

State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak on Monday said that a drive involving all concerned will be conducted to stop online gambling.

Around 5.0 million people are involved in online gambling, the state minister told reporters after a meeting with French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy at the secretariat.

When his attention was drawn to the issue of money laundering through online gambling, the state minister said, “We have exchanged views on online gambling. Our children of different ages are at serious risk. Even many elderly and retired people are coming in. Analysing the data, we have seen how 5.0 million people have become involved in these gambling sites.”

“We are trying to block illegal gambling sites. I’m also trying to create awareness. So that common people are not deceived by any such temptation.”

A total of 2,600 gambling sites have already been blocked and now mobile apps are being blocked, he said, adding, “It’s a continuous process, it will continue.”

He said they sat down with the Department of Telecom, National Telecom Monitoring Centre, Computer Council, BTRC and Cyber Security Agency to discuss blocking of these gambling sites.