One click to ruin: Online gambling’s dangerous grip on rural youths

Illustration: TBS

Shihab, an unemployed village youth in Barguna, thought he had struck gold. He began earning about Tk1,000 a day from digital betting and gambling sites—a significant sum for someone without a job.

Bite-Sized: How village youth are losing millions to a digital trap spreading across rural areas

Riding high on his early success, he gathered more money from relatives, borrowed from friends, and invested in numerous betting sites, buying one 'game' after another in the hope that fortune was finally on his side. 

But soon he realised that he was unable to cash out once his investments and apparent earnings increased. The operators demanded more money to release his prize, railroading him deeper into their trap. 

"I invested money, and the betting app showed I had earned thousands. But when I tried to cash out, they said I had to invest more to do so—which I did. That money never came. I also lost thousands of taka in other games," Shihab said.  

Driven by a false hope of recovering his losses, he continued to play—eventually losing around Tk10 lakh.  

Meanwhile, the debt he could not repay kept soaring, his addiction to pervasive online betting deepened, and the despair over his lost money grew worse.    

"My life became extremely difficult, and I don't know how I will recover from this," Shihab added.  

In a series of interviews with village youths, we came across many young people like Shihab who are addicted to digital betting sites. They said that in their neighbourhoods, most young people are hooked on online betting. 

How village youths fall for betting sites 

Online gambling platforms like 1xBet, Melbet, Nagad88, Crickex, Jeetbuzz, Betwinner, 22Bet, Mostbet, and Betjili have flooded rural Bangladesh, operating illegally through foreign servers. 

Marketed as gaming or sports apps, they entice users with fake wins, rigged games, and false promises of cashouts. Many are outright scams, exploiting digital illiteracy and economic desperation.

These apps—often using Bangla interfaces and local mobile banking payment channels through intermediaries—trap rural youths in cycles of debt and addiction. Initial small earnings lure users to invest more, only to face blocked withdrawals, disappearing balances, or demands for further deposits.

Most village youths we interviewed said that they discovered themselves into the gambling sites through various online ads on social media and pornographic sites. 

Many shady websites host betting advertisements. These include platforms where users go to download films or TV shows. When someone visits such a site, pop-up ads often appear promoting betting. A single click leads the user to a sign-up page. In this way, betting sites become easily accessible to everyone.

Shafiur Rahman, a village youth living in Rajbari, who admitted his addiction to various online gambling apps, said he came to know about digital gambling through an online advertisement. 

"I came to this through online ads, and then a lot of my friends joined the platform through me. I can confidently tell you that over 90% of the people I know (who have smartphones) are addicted to online gambling," Shafiur said.

Over the years, many celebrities have also lent their faces—and sometimes their voices to betting platforms. A few months ago, actress Nusraat Faria appeared in a promotional song for one such platform. According to the platform's official website, Nusraat is their official ambassador.

Cricketer Shakib Al Hasan has appeared in betting advertisements on multiple occasions. Last year during a scandal involving an Indian betting site, his sister Jannatul Hasan's name was listed among the platform's investors.    

There are also YouTubers who promote betting through customised referral codes. They actively advertise these codes in their videos. If someone joins using the code, both the referrer and the new user receive bonus incentives. It is a system that rewards promotion.

Anyone can refer a friend. In such cases, the person who signs up also receives an incentive. This means that those already involved in betting have a strong reason to bring new people into the system. In rural areas, this is how betting spreads. Some join through friends. Others are introduced by cousins or neighbours.

The behavioural shift  

A study from 2024 revealed that nearly two-thirds of the country's young people are addicted to pornography. Betting site ads are also common on those adult websites. As a result, a large portion of the population finds themselves only one click away from a betting platform.

Once limited to city life, smartphone usage is now deeply embedded in rural Bangladesh, especially among village adolescents and youths. A growing number of rural youths—once seen playing football or cricket in open fields—now spend their afternoons in roadside makeshift shops or tea stalls, eyes fixed on mobile screens, often playing online games.  

According to multiple studies, including one published in the Journal of Public Health in Bangladesh, half of rural preschoolers in Bangladesh already display signs of smartphone addiction, highlighting how early digital dependence is taking root in these communities. 

This behavioural shift has led to declining physical activity and increased exposure to online risks— including digital gambling platforms. Researchers have identified this trend as part of a larger digital addiction crisis, driven by the easy availability of cheap smartphones and a lack of parental awareness in rural communities. 

The digital literacy gap between urban and rural youth in Bangladesh also leaves many village youths more exposed to online scams and fraudulent schemes. While youths in the city areas may be more cautious or informed, rural adolescents often lack the knowledge to recognise these dangers, making them prime targets for exploitative gambling apps and fake websites. 

Replicating betting sites—another trap to lure in victims 

There are many fake versions of popular betting websites. These are also known as phishing sites. At first glance, they look exactly like the original platforms. The design, layout, and even the name are almost identical.

Sometimes, the name of the site is the same or very close. The only noticeable difference is in the top-level domain. For example, while the official site might use ".com", a fake one may use endings like ".io", ".co", ".vip", or ".pro". People who are not very familiar with digital technology often fail to spot the difference.

As a result, victims often invest money in these fake sites under the misconception that they are using the real ones. But the entire amount goes straight to the scammer. There are no winnings, and there is no way to withdraw either.

"I lost thousands on these fake sites. Many ended up losing money this way as it is very difficult to differentiate between the real and the fake ones," Shafiur said.

These betting sites usually offer a variety of games. In order to play, users must deposit money first. After playing, if a user wins, they are promised a cash reward. But in many cases, the money does not reach them.

The sites often give small excuses to delay or block the withdrawal. Sometimes, when someone wins a large amount, the platform shows artificial errors or system glitches. As a result, the winnings get stuck. The player waits, but the money never arrives.

Deposits on these sites are usually made through mobile banking services. These platforms make it very easy to move money.

"Although many begin online gambling simply to pass time, it eventually leads to a form of mental dependency," said Dr Tawohidul Haque, Associate Professor at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, University of Dhaka. "Over time, some reach a stage where they do not feel at ease without gambling at least once a day."

"Once involved in gambling, individuals often neglect their responsibilities—to themselves, their families, and their relationships. A number of students who engage in online gambling also ignore their studies." 

He called for stronger actions from the law enforcement agencies to control the spread of digital gambling, including cracking down on the networks operating these platforms. He also stressed the need for greater public awareness, warning that without it, the problem would only worsen. 

"At a certain point, those addicted to gambling may get destroyed financially. Their relationships tear apart, they face isolation and frustration, and their social lives collapse. If they're unable to recover from such addiction, they risk becoming a burden on the state," Dr Haque added. 

What the existing law says about such gambling  

With no regulation or legal protection, victims lose thousands to lakhs while jeopardising their relationships and mental stability. In villages across the country, betting addiction is quietly turning into an epidemic. 

According to Section 20 of the Cyber Security Ordinance, 2025, participation in or promotion of gambling is considered a criminal offence.

Despite legal barriers, online betting and gambling are spreading rapidly across rural Bangladesh. When asked about what actions law enforcement agencies are taking to curb this digital menace, Shahadat Hossain, Additional Inspector General (Media and PR) at Police Headquarters, said their cyber monitoring unit is "active, and taking legal action against the pages and accounts promoting such platforms."

Shahadat went on to say, illegal online gambling poses a serious threat to families, the younger generation, and the overall economic stability, adding that the rural areas are specifically affected by such gambling.

"In rural areas, the easy accessibility of mobile phones and the internet has turned this into a form of digital addiction," he opined. "Participation, promotion, or acting as an agent for online gambling—all are punishable offences. With support from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), we are also working to block and shut down suspicious websites and apps."

Disclaimer: The victims' original names have been changed to maintain anonymity and ensure safety.