Myanmar's Yangon Region Government says it is intensifying efforts to combat online gambling after lawmakers questioned whether existing enforcement measures are effectively addressing the growing problem.
During a Yangon Region Hluttaw session on August 25, legislator Kyaw Min Htet raised concerns that illegal online gambling remains widespread despite the introduction of the country's Online Fraud Prevention Law and the establishment of regional enforcement committees.
The lawmaker argued that authorities could improve enforcement by tracing transactions made through domestic bank accounts and popular mobile payment services, including KPay and Wave Money, which are commonly used for gambling deposits and withdrawals.
In response, Yangon Region Security and Border Affairs Minister Brigadier General Win Tint said a 10-member Yangon Region Online Fraud and Online Gambling Prevention Committee, chaired by the region's Chief Minister, is already in place.
According to the minister, the committee works with ward and village administrators across Yangon to collect daily intelligence on suspected online gambling activities. Authorities also monitor people staying in communities for extended periods, gathering information on their occupations and living arrangements to support investigations.
The minister said authorities prosecuted nine online gambling cases involving 27 people during 2025. Between January and July 2026, enforcement actions increased to 11 cases involving 29 individuals. During the same period, officials also took action against 358 other gambling cases, involving 501 people.
The update comes as Myanmar continues expanding its crackdown on illegal gambling through multiple government agencies.
Last month, the Posts and Telecommunications Department announced it had permanently blocked 390,978 phone numbers suspected of distributing gambling-related SMS advertisements. The regulator has also introduced automated detection systems that identify mass gambling promotions sent through licensed mobile networks while encouraging the public to report suspicious messages.
Authorities said enforcement against illegal online gambling will continue through intelligence gathering, closer cooperation between administrative bodies and police and stricter action against individuals involved in unlawful gambling activities.
Myanmar permanently blocked 390,978 phone numbers linked to gambling SMS spam earlier this year
