The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested four members of an online gambling racket, including Nishat Munna, the ringleader who amassed Tk5 million through various online betting sites that were operated from abroad.

The arrests took place in Gazipur's Sreepur upazila and Malibagh in the capital during a joint operation of the Rapid Action Battalion Intelligence Wing, RAB-1 and RAB-11 held Monday (23 October) night.

The joint operation led to the arrest of one of the masterminds, Md Nishat Munna, 20, in Gazipur, along with three accomplices Md Kamrul Islam Shubo, 27, Md Suman, 35, and Md Nazmul Hossain Babu, 31. 

At the time, 16 mobile phones, 18 SIM cards, one CPU, and one monitor were seized from their possession.

RAB's Legal and Media Wing Director Khandaker Al Moin highlighted the growing issue of rising addiction to illegal online gambling platforms among the country's youth while briefing reporters on Tuesday. 

He said, "These days, an increasing trend of online gambling addiction can be noticed among the country's young population. RAB has previously apprehended individuals involved in money laundering through offshore online gambling platforms and brought them to justice. The Cyber Monitoring Team of RAB Forces maintains a continuous vigil on cyber activities to apprehend those engaged in money laundering abroad through online gambling.

"The arrestees have confirmed their involvement in online gambling during primary interrogation," he added.

The gang had reportedly been operating various online gambling sites in Bangladesh for the past one-and-a-half years. 

Under the leadership of Nishat Munna, a key figure in the domestic operations of these offshore gambling sites, seven to eight members promoted these sites in different regions of Bangladesh. 

Their activities included opening accounts, conducting financial transactions via mobile banking, and sending money to neighbouring countries through informal channels.

The gang primarily targeted the country's youth, with a focus on major sporting events such as the Football World Cup, Cricket World Cup, IPL, BPL, various football leagues, and other sports. 

They promoted online gambling sites both directly to individuals and through various social media groups. Interested individuals would open accounts through links provided by the gang, and the gang members received commissions for each new account. 

The gang operated various online gambling sites, including 1xBet, MeltBet, PariMatch, Velkiex, BjBaji Casino, and Ludo Match.

When the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) shut down several apps and websites related to online gambling, the gang adapted by changing domains and relaunching their operations on online platforms. 

They maintained anonymity by using multiple SIM cards and mobile banking for money transfers from customers, keeping a portion for themselves, and sending the rest through informal channels to operators of the online gambling platforms in neighbouring countries.