Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister has laid out plans to step up action against the country’s online gambling market.
Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof told local media after a visit to his constituency that he is aiming to table new legislation in the next sitting of the lower house of Malaysia’s Parliament, which will target enforcement against illegal gambling operators.
He said: “At the federal level, the government is drafting a law to address illegal gambling. Illegal gambling, if left unchecked, can affect social well-being, especially among our younger generation. That is why the government is treating this matter seriously.”
Although no specific details have been released regarding the content of the bill, Yusof emphasised that the new legislation will strengthen enforcement mechanisms for police and government agencies.
The name of the new bill is yet to be determined, and it is also not yet clear if it will be introduced as a new standalone act or incorporated as amendments to existing legislation.
Gambling activity is heavily restricted in Malaysia and is limited to a single casino, Resorts World Genting, and some forms of retail sports betting. Meanwhile, all forms of online gambling are strictly prohibited.
However, these proposed measures demonstrate the significant presence of a black market in the country. According to data released in 2023, the country’s illegal gambling market generates approximately RM18bn (£3.43bn) each year, meaning that the government is missing out on RM5bn (£951.4m) in vital tax income.
Already this year, Malaysia’s Deputy Communications Minister, Teo Nie Ching, has implored digital platforms to implement stricter pre-screening for sponsored content promoting gambling after the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission revealed that it has removed 15,519 pieces of online gambling content in the first 15 days of 2026.
Ching said: “Although the platforms agreed to remove the content after complaints, such action usually took place only after the material had already been displayed.
“This indirectly facilitates online fraud and gambling activities.”
More recently, the Royal Malaysian Police also made 388 arrests in raids across Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang of a criminal syndicate developing online gambling platforms for use both domestically and internationally.
236 men and 152 women aged between 20 and 48 were arrested, including eight foreign nationals. Computer equipment used to operate the platforms was seized alongside two cars and several ‘high-end’ watches.
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