Malaysia is considering stronger legislation to counter the rise of unlawful online gambling as existing statutes are increasingly outpaced by technological change, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said, as reported by The New Straits Times.
In a written parliamentary reply, Saifuddin confirmed that police had proposed a review of the current legal framework to ensure it remains effective against evolving online gambling methods. He noted that the Home Ministry, the Finance Ministry, the Communications Ministry, the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the National Cyber Security Agency are jointly studying amendments that would modernise enforcement capabilities.
Among the key proposals being assessed are updates to the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 and the introduction of explicit online gambling provisions in the planned Cyber Crime Bill. Saifuddin said these changes are aimed at disrupting syndicates whose operations have spread into rural parts of Sarawak and other regions.
The Minister was responding to Batang Lupar MP Mohamad Shafizan Kepli, who asked what steps had been taken to combat the proliferation of illegal gambling premises and online syndicates, as well as preventive measures for affected communities.
Enforcement data shows the scale of the challenge. Between 2022 and 2025, police carried out 4,750 raids in Sarawak, arresting 4,992 people. In the same period, authorities seized RM740,000 and requested the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to block 1,477 gambling-related websites.
The tightening of laws comes years after the Perikatan Nasional administration floated the possibility of legalising online gambling in 2021, a proposal that was never advanced. The current review reflects a renewed focus on online crime prevention and the need to address risks that continue to evolve across the digital landscape.
Authorities requested the blocking of 1,477 gambling websites over the same period
