The Department of Law and Order will freeze accounts of online gambling operators
Thinley Namgay
The Department of Law and Order (DLO) has uncovered 65 online gambling groups with nearly 17,000 participants in the past eight months. The department is now intensifying efforts to combat this growing issue by partnering with the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) to freeze the accounts linked to these illicit operations.
These groups, predominantly hosted on Telegram, vary in size. Most groups have members between 200 and 500, with some groups like ‘Unlimited Luck’ boasting up to 1,200 members.
The DLO estimates the actual number of groups to be much higher. However, not every individual in these groups may be actively participating in gambling activities.
The DLO gathered the data through online monitoring of platforms and information collected from sources and relevant agencies.
Some of the other popular gambling and betting groups are Lotus, Peday’s Group, Yangchenma, and Win Your Luck, among others. Dice and teer are popular online games, according to the DLO.
The modus operandi—the coordinator or admin of each gambling group manages bets and fees through personal accounts. Members have to transfer the bet or fee to the coordinators’ accounts to play the game.
DLO Chief Karma Dorji said that the department is now collaborating with the RMA to freeze the accounts associated with these online gambling operations. “Both organisers and participants are subject to legal action as per the law.”
He warned that online gambling has become rampant in the country just as it was in 2022 when it reached troubling proportions.
Online gambling occurs when an individual or entity engages in the business of accepting, placing, receiving or otherwise knowingly transmitting a bet or wager by any means which involves the use, at least in part, of the internet. It also includes online businesses offering sports betting, online poker or other games of chance.
As per the DLO’s context, gambling is a game of chance which is luck based, where a person’s effort and talent is not required. “If you play archery, your talent is involved, which is called the game of skills. Gambling provides a platform for the people to bet or wager where one does not have the control to win or lose,” Karma Dorji said.
The DLO clarified that gambling, which relies on luck rather than skill, can lead to significant financial and familial issues, undermining financial discipline.
He cautioned the public not to misunderstand why the government is concerned about gambling. “Those account holders are making money at the cost of somebody’s financial and family problems.”
Amid this development, a key point of contention is the Bhutan Lottery.
While the DLO accepts Bhutan Lottery as a form of gambling, it clarified that it is a state recognised game based on section 395 of the Penal Code of Bhutan 2004, distinguishing it from illegal gambling activities.
According to DLO, the state makes sure that the Bhutan Lottery does not cost damage to the society, and a system is in place to ensure that people are not hugely affected. “There is transparency in the Bhutan lottery.”
Only state-owned enterprises are allowed to start gambling businesses, according to DLO.
Under Section 393 of the Penal Code, engaging in gambling activities—where bets are placed on outcomes beyond one’s control—is considered an offense. It is classified as a petty misdemeanor under Section 394.
The Royal Bhutan Police have reported minor cases related to online gambling at some stations.
The public has also raised concerns about online giveaway platforms and gambling activities during cultural events like tshechus.
The DLO issued a formal notice on August 28 urging the public to avoid engaging in illegal gambling activities, and reinforcing the prohibition.