Bengal games, Asia’s underrated giant

Anastasiia Shcherbyna, CMO of MelBet Partners & Affiliates, has shared the results of an in-depth market analysis.

Press release.- Anastasiia Shcherbyna, CMO of MelBet Partners & Affiliates, recently presented her talk, Bengal games: Asia’s underrated giant, at GGate 2026. During her speech, she shared the results of an in-depth market analysis, and the company compiled the key insights below.

Most affiliates begin their exploration of Bangladesh using the same principle. They open a map, notice it’s right next to India, and draw a logical conclusion: the markets must be similar, so they can simply reuse successful campaigns, translate their creatives, and scale.

At first glance, the two countries do have a lot in common. Both were once part of British India, both are passionate about cricket, consume massive amounts of short-form video content, and are deeply familiar with Bollywood. However, user behaviour differs far more than most people expect.

“The biggest mistake is treating Bangladesh as a smaller version of India. You’ll get traffic. You’ll get registrations. But if you ignore the local specifics, your unit economics will start falling apart very quickly.”

Bangladesh today:

• 83+ million internet users

• 65+ million social media users

• Android accounts for around 93% of the smartphone market

• One of the fastest-growing digital audiences in South Asia

These numbers are impressive, but they alone mean nothing. You need to know how to work with them. The main characteristic of Bangladesh is not the size of its audience but the way people make decisions.

Today, the country is a rapidly developing market that has retained its own cultural identity and unique user behaviour. You can’t simply launch ads and expect results. Consumers carefully evaluate products, pay close attention to local context, and are much more likely to convert only after they’ve developed trust in a brand.

If you profile the average user, you’ll get a fairly clear picture. The typical player in Bangladesh:

• Uses an Android smartphone

• Earns approximately $150-250 per month

• Regularly follows cricket

• Spends significant time on social media and watching short-form videos

• Is extremely cautious about spending money

The last point has the greatest influence on user behaviour. For people in Bangladesh, placing a bet isn’t an impulsive emotional purchase. It’s an attempt to get closer to a real goal.

“The average player in Bangladesh rarely dreams of becoming a millionaire. More often, they’re hoping to pay off debt, support their family, save for a wedding, cover their child’s education, or finally buy a motorcycle.”

That’s why creatives centred around luxury lifestyles, expensive cars, overflowing suitcases of cash, or gold bars tend to perform much worse here. Stories that show real-life changes that resonate with the local audience are more compelling.

Language is another critical factor. While many people understand English and regularly consume English-language content, Bengali should be the main language for marketing communications, creatives, UGC, voice-overs, Telegram messaging, and social media content. It is one of the key markers for building trust.

People in Bangladesh spend a significant amount of time on their smartphones, which are the primary device for consuming digital content. Android accounts for approximately 93 per cent of the mobile operating system market, while iOS holds just 7 per cent. The most popular smartphone brands include TECNO, Infinix, and Xiaomi.

It matters because it directly affects conversion performance. To succeed in the market, your product should prioritise:

• Lightweight, optimised landing pages

• Short and straightforward registration

• As few unnecessary steps as possible

• Simple navigation that performs well on lower-end devices

Now let’s look at the audience’s betting habits. Cricket is the number one sport in Bangladesh. It’s an integral part of everyday life and forms the foundation of user behaviour on betting platforms.

“Depending on the format, a cricket match in Bangladesh can last anywhere from three or four hours to as long as five days. Yes, five days. For local users, cricket isn’t just background entertainment; it’s more like a TV series filled with plot twists, drama, analysis, and plenty of heart-stopping moments, especially if you’ve backed the favourite. That’s exactly why live betting feels like the most natural way to engage with the sport.”

The biggest events on the sporting calendar include:

• Indian Premier League (IPL)

• Bangladesh Premier League (BPL)

• International tournaments featuring the Bangladesh national team

In many ways, the cricket calendar determines when audience interest in sports content peaks.

Another major advantage of operating in the region is that sports traffic converts exceptionally well into the casino vertical. The key is to keep the user journey simple. Players want to understand immediately where to click, what happens next, and what bonus they’ll receive. That’s why straightforward, fast-paced entertainment performs best, including Crash games, card slots, fast games, Super Ace/Ace, Crazy Time, Mega Wheel, Fortune Numbers, and Aviator/Aviatrix.

“If you do decide to enter Bangladesh, my advice is simple: create less chaos, and don’t over-optimise your funnels. The less unnecessary complexity you introduce into a campaign, the longer it tends to perform. The same goes for creatives. In most cases, it’s not a single ‘perfect’ video that wins, but a pool of similar, authentic creatives that can be rotated over time without burning out the audience too quickly.”

It’s also important not to underestimate the role of brand recognition. In a GEO with a high trust barrier, brand awareness directly impacts conversion rates.

That’s why MelBet Partners & Affiliates continues to strengthen its position through both global and local partnerships.

Today, the team includes:

• Cricket legend Dwayne Bravo

• UFC champion Kamaru Usman

• Popular Bengali actress Monami Ghosh

When users have already seen and recognised your brand, they’re much more likely to enter the funnel with confidence. The final piece of advice: don’t miss the opportunity while the market is still relatively untapped.