What begins with a few taps on a smartphone and the prospect of quick money is leaving some families in Rajshahi buried in debt, with land and valuables sold and relationships shattered.
Online gambling is spreading from the city into rural areas, drawing students, youths and low-income earners with promises of bonuses and instant profits. But accounts from affected families show how small wagers can escalate into repeated betting to recover losses.
In Puthia, two young men interviewed for this report claim to have lost a combined Tk1.68 crore.
Mohammad Titu, 28, of Rajbari, says he lost around Tk95 lakh in eight months after being introduced to online gambling by local agents.
“My wife and children left me because of my gambling. I used to be a successful farmer, but I lost everything,” Titu said.
Hridoy, another young man from Puthia, initially worked as an online gambling agent and earned commissions before beginning to bet himself.
He claims he eventually lost around Tk73 lakh, selling land belonging to his father and in-laws to finance his gambling.
“Initially, if I wagered Tk5,000, I would get back Tk10,000. Later, I started losing,” he said. “Now, my family and I are destitute.”
Families are also bearing the consequences. One guardian said his son vandalised their home and sold his motorcycle after becoming addicted to gambling. The family is now around Tk25 lakh in debt, he claimed.
Police say operations are continuing. According to law enforcement data, 80 people have been arrested and 35 cases filed over online gambling in Rajshahi during the past year.
Rajshahi District Superintendent of Police Mamun-or-Rashid said enforcement remains challenging because many platforms use foreign domains and servers, while local agents and mobile financial services facilitate transactions.
Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Faizul Kabir urged parents to watch for sudden changes in their children’s behaviour, spending and sources of money.
Sociologist Prof Rabiul Alam said social media has become a major gateway, with pages, groups and accounts promoting betting links through “bonuses”, “free bets” and promises of quick profits.
He said police action alone would not be enough, calling for awareness campaigns involving families, educational institutions and social organisations.
With smartphones and digital transactions now integral to everyday life, experts say the challenge is increasingly to stop technology from becoming a gateway to gambling before small bets turn into devastating losses.