Malaysia reviews gambling laws
Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim said the government is reviewing legislation in order to crack down on illegal gambling.
Malaysia.- The Malaysian government is reviewing the county’s gambling laws. Prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Ministry of Finance is to propose amendments to gambling regulations to grant the government broader powers to enforce and regulate licensed gambling activities, including online gambling.
Laws under evaluation include the Lotteries Act of 1952, which permits lotteries and the legalisation of horse racing, and the Betting Act of 1953, which prohibits sports betting. Ibrahim said the review was warranted and long overdue, given the ease of access to gambling through local and offshore online platforms.
Back in February, Ibrahim pledged to tighten laws to protect citizens against gambling-related job scams abroad. The impetus initially came from the deputy minister of Home Affairs, Datuk Seri Ismail Mohamed, who voiced the need for stronger measures in November 2021 after disclosing an increase in offences related to online gambling, with 2,294 cases recorded in 2019, 2,911 in 2020 and 2,165 in 2021.
The review has been welcomed by some industry players. However, a ban on 4D lottery sales in Kedah state, implemented on January 1, 2023, has been criticised for having repercussions on foreign investments and the emergence of illegal gambling options for Malaysian players.
