Malaysia moves to modernise gambling laws
The Royal Malaysian Police have submitted 12 proposed amendments to modernise the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 and the Betting Act 1953.
Malaysia.- Authorities led by the Royal Malaysian Police have submitted 12 proposed amendments to modernise the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 and the Betting Act 1953. They note that the laws were enacted before the digital era and pose a challenge to enforcement in the age of remote gambling.
Key among the proposed changes is the formal inclusion of “remote gambling” in legal terminology. The amendments would also mean steeper financial penalties of up to MYR100,000 (US$23,600) for individual players and MYR1m (US$236,000) for operators, as well as mandatory jail terms of six months for players and up to 12 months for those running illegal sites.
The reforms would grant new powers to enforcement bodies. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the deputy public prosecutor would be authorised to block websites and freeze bank transactions linked to unlawful gambling. Electronic documents would also become admissible in court.
Between 2021 and May 2025, Malaysian police submitted over 4,200 website blocking requests. Operation Dadu, a nationwide crackdown on illegal gambling launched in 2019, has recorded 42,937 raids and 59,815 arrests to date.
