The Malaysian government is drafting a stringent new federal law to combat the rise of illegal online gambling. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof confirmed the bill could reach the Dewan Rakyat as early as the next parliamentary sitting.
Enforcement in the Digital Age
Fadillah framed the crackdown as an urgent social necessity. “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,” he told reporters in Kuching.
Authorities are currently debating whether to introduce a standalone act or amend the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953. A key focus is strengthening the ability of police to block system access.
Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mohamad Zainal Abdullah previously noted that mobile phones have made “system blocking the most effective measure” against modern gambling trends.
The Digital Battlefield
The scale of the problem is immense. From 2022 to February 2025, Malaysia blocked 5,025 gambling websites and removed over 224,000 social media posts, with Facebook identified as a primary platform for illegal promotions.
This strong enforcement is a clear indicator that the Malaysian federal law set to prohibit online gambling is merely a formality, rather than an idea.
