It’s a pretty common belief around the world that any kind of gambling within the country of Malaysia is completely illegal. The problem is that there is quite a lot of truth to this statement, as the government has made it illegal for citizens to indulge in certain gambling-related activities.
Sports betting and most other forms of gambling have been declared illegal, but there are some exceptions here that are worth taking note of.
It’s also worth remembering that illegal gambling within Malaysia is extremely prevalent, and that these kinds of dens should be avoided at all costs so that a gambler doesn’t run into trouble with the authorities.
Here we will look at the gambling laws that are present in Malaysia and how they affect the average bettor.
The Acts Of Parliament
An act of parliament is a special law that everyone in the country must adhere to, and there are a few acts of parliament in Malaysia that directly deal with gambling. Probably the most well known is the Common Gaming Houses Act of 1953, as well as the Betting Act 1953, both of which were created to deal with illegal gambling activities within Malaysia.
They are centred around the creation of betting houses and common gaming houses. The former is a venue where punters make bets on sporting events as well as illegal lotteries, while a common gaming house is much more similar to a traditional casino as most people know them.
Common gaming houses are completely illegal, and have been declared by the government as contrary to the law, meaning that the government and other relevant authorities take a fairly strict stance on their existence, and hundreds have been closed down since the acts of parliament were based in 1953.
Gambling At Home
These laws are so strict that they don’t only cover public areas, and can, in fact, extend to a person’s house. If a person and their friends spend a few hours playing poker at home, then the house is technically a common gambling house, which makes it illegal, and the owner of the property can be subject to harsh punishment from authorities.
This is why it’s always best to enjoy games in private when playing with friends, but there is fortunately one big loophole to the acts of parliament: playing online.
Online Gambling In Malaysia
The acts of parliament that were passed in the 1950s were done so at a time where even the thought of something as extensive and complicated as the internet was only found in science fiction novels. But times have changed, and today a Malaysian citizen can legally play any game they want, as long as the casino that they are playing through is not based in Malaysia.
As long as the casino is based in a country where gambling is perfectly legal, there are no penalties, and while the government is hoping to one day change this, for the time being it remains a viable way of enjoying all the latest games, such as online roulette in New Zealand.