Malaysian real money players can play online at certain Internet casino sites, so long as they are operations based offshore and not within Malaysia or anywhere else in Asia. This article clarifies current gambling laws and online betting regulations in Malaysia, and the best places for Malaysians to play slots and table games online safely and 100% legally.

Gambling finds itself in somewhat of a grey area in Malaysia. The country of more than 30million people has a large Muslim population, with all ethnic-Malays required to be Sunni Muslim, and as such there are strict laws that forbidden gambling under Sharia Laws. These laws are enforced. However, they don’t stretch to tourists or non-Muslims residing in the country, although the government has attempted in the past to clamp down on online casino gambaling. There has been an up-and-down relationship between gambling and Malay authorities, with sports betting having been legalised, then banned, then legalised again before being stamped out once more at the start of the 21st century. There is one land-based casino in Malaysia, but it is aimed at tourists, mostly Chinese tourists, who don’t classify as Muslim. Online gambling is outlawed, but, like many other countries in Asia, is rarely prosecutable.

Gambling is technically legal in Malaysia, then, but only for certain people. Muslims are not allowed to gamble, although there are still many casino gambling outlets, including slot machines, lottery offerings, and horse race betting. The general rule is that only licensed forms of gambling and betting are permitted: horse racing, for example, is the only licensed form of sports betting that is permitted.

There is one land-based casino in Malaysia, and it is the only place in the country where Malaysians are permitted to participate in casino table and card games in the country. Unfortunately, while the government has been firm on its application of gambling licensing, the country is rife with underground gambling dens, which may have contributed to the up-and-down nature of the legislation, and the constant debate regarding gambling’s legalisation.

There used to be gambling halls scattered throughout the country, and these were popular after-work locations for many millions of the people in Malaysia. However, the government outlawed these in 2000, fearing they were attracting criminal gangs and exposing gambling to young people.

There is one primary law that regulates gambling in Malaysia: the Betting Act of 1953. It’s gone through a number of amendments since then, mostly notably in 2006 when it added stricter penalties for those caught gambling at unlicensed venues. It classifies this as “unlawful” betting. Approved and licensed gambling is permitted, as clearly noted in the Act, and there is also a privately-run lottery, which was initially owned and operated by the government before being sold off.

Online casino and gambling laws in Malaysia

Online gambling is actually prohibited in Malaysia, however this generally relates to people operating online betting and gambling outfits within the country. As the government does not offer licenses to online gambling sites, many Malaysian players turn to online casinos to gamble. Internet cafes used to offer these services, but they are instead forced to block access to online casinos or face prosecution.

The general rule of thumb for Malaysian players is to avoid betting agencies and online casinos that are based anywhere in Asia