Malaysia considers tougher laws against illegal online gambling

Federal authorities are reviewing gambling and cybercrime legislation as police push for stronger tools to combat the spread of online gaming in Malaysia.

Malaysia.- The federal government is considering stricter laws to address illegal online gambling and the evolution of digital betting platforms. Home minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said an initiative was proposed by the Royal Malaysia Police, which has urged a review of existing laws.

In a written parliamentary reply, he said the Home Ministry was working alongside the Finance Ministry, the Communications Ministry, the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the National Cyber Security Agency to study possible amendments. Among the measures under consideration is a review of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, as well as the inclusion of specific online gambling offences within the proposed Cyber Crime Bill.

The issue was raised in Parliament by Batang Lupar MP Mohamad Shafizan Kepli, who questioned the government on the spread of online gambling in rural Sarawak and the effectiveness of current countermeasures. According to Saifuddin, enforcement efforts in Sarawak resulted in 4,992 arrests in 4,750 police raids between 2022 and 2025. Authorities seized RM740,000 (US$187,000) and requested the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to block 1,477 gambling-related websites.

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Federal authorities are reviewing gambling and cybercrime legislation as police push for stronger tools to combat the spread of online gaming in Malaysia. Malaysia.- The federal government is considering stricter laws to address illegal online gambling and the evolution of digital betting platforms. Home minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said an initiative was proposed…