At the moment, most forms of gambling, both online and offline are considered illegal in Malaysia. The only facility in the whole country where gambling is allowed is the Genting Highlands Resort. Apart from that, the second legal form of gambling is betting on racehorses, but even this activity comes with certain restrictions.
While Malay residents are allowed to bet on horse races, they are not allowed to do it online or at physical betting shops. The law states that they can only wager on this sport at the racecourses.
As for online gambling, it too is formally considered illegal, but considering the fact that the law does not apply to offshore sites, foreign operators are free to offer their services to players from Malaysia. That is why this activity is actually pretty popular in the country. Players should keep in mind to always play at trusted live online casino in Malaysia,
But, the one thing that players need to remember is that they always need to access foreign operators for one additional reason. The law does not allow any Malay-based live casinos to operate in the region. That means that players will not be safe if they register and play at Malay-based casino sites.
Regulation Laws and Authorities
There are three main laws that regulate live casinos and land-based casinos in Malaysia. They are:
- The Betting Act of 1953
- Common Gaming Houses Act of 1953
- Sharia Law
Out of these three, the main law is the Betting Act of 1953. According to this legislation, all forms of gambling, except betting on horse races at racecourses are not allowed. Those that are caught as illegal operators may serve up to 5 years in prison.
The difference between the Betting Act of 1953 and the Common Gaming Houses Act of 1953 is that while the Betting Act focuses more on online betting, the Common Gaming Houses Act takes all forms of gambling as well. According to this law, players that are caught gambling illegally can serve up to six months in prison or pay a fine of 5,000 ringgits.
Finally, the last law that regulates gambling activities in Malaysia is the Sharia Law, which applies to Muslims in the country. Around 60% of the Malay population are Muslims, so this law is part of the country’s Constitution. In layman's terms, the Sharia Law also forbids all types of gambling. Not only that, but it is also worth mentioning that Malaysia acknowledges Sharia courts, meaning that the country has a dual court system. Considering the fact that gambling is formally illegal here, there is no specific regulatory body that oversees this industry.
But, since Malay players can access offshore sites, they need to make sure that the operators where they register are licensed and regulated. The government does not have a system that is designed to block unlicensed sites, which means that there is a chance of registering at a scam site.
With that being said, Malay players need to always make sure that they find a trusted live casino online in Malaysia, that are licensed and regulated by reputable international regulatory bodies such as the Malta Gaming Authority, or the UK Gambling Commission.