Online Gambling Malaysia | Ultimate Guide (2023)

Pop into any Malaysian online gambling forum, and they will all have stories about the history of gambling in the country. What is the truth, though? Gambling was brought to Malaysia by Chinese traders and merchants in the 1800s. By and large, gambling has been illegal in Malaysia throughout the country’s existence. However, there have been exceptions.

In 1852, the Lotteries Act made it perfectly clear that Malaysians could engage in a private-owned lottery, while the 1970s saw the introduction of Malaysia’s only land-based casino. This Vegas-style venue is open around the clock but denies entry to those Malaysians who are of the Muslim faith.

While sports betting is illegal, the British brought horse racing betting to the country in the 1800s, and it remains one of the few legal gambling options you have open to you. Today, Malaysia is a country where whether gambling is legal or not depends on what you’re  wagering on. With that in mind, let us take a closer look at the country’s gambling laws.

Three primary laws govern betting in Malaysia. The Betting Act of 1953 forbids all forms of gambling unless a license has been acquired by the state’s authorities. The Common Gaming Houses Act of the same year dictates the types of games that are legal (with a license), while Sharia Law forbids Muslims from gambling at all, in all forms.

These three laws form the basis for gambling regulation in Malaysia. Naturally, this makes things confusing. However, the same can be said of many neighbouring countries, such as Singapore. You can find out what those countries say on the matter by checking our gambling laws by country guide.

Officially, the only legal forms of gambling are lotteries, betting at Malaysia’s single land-based casino, and horse racing. Sports betting is not legal, nor is online casino gambling. Make no mistake about it, though; sports betting is hugely popular in Malaysia, as is internet casino gambling. Officially, Malaysian law prohibits you from joining a Malay casino or sportsbook.

However, there are grey areas in the law that can see you sign up at foreign, offshore casinos as these are outside of Malaysia’s jurisdiction. Like many countries, Malaysia has not taken a stand on e-sports betting, so it is neither legal nor an illegal gambling option in the country.

Of course, there are punishments in place for those who regularly break the rules. Illegal gamblers and operators could be fined up to RM100,000 and fail a minimum jail sentence of up to six months. This is a twenty-fold increase on the previous penalty of RM5,000, with the new law introduced in 2020. Sharia

Law courts will rule on Muslims who break this rule (and Malaysia’s population is predominantly Muslim), but non-Malaysians (such as Chinese and Indians with large populations in the country) are not subject to Sharia Law. Instead, they will face penalties handed out by the country’s secular law courts.