Betting Laws in Malaysia
Whenever you’re dealing with sportsbooks, it’s crucial to determine whether a platform is legal or not. And to understand the legality of sports betting in Malaysia, we must look at the laws.
Currently, online bookies are regulated according to the Common Gaming House Act 1953 (CGHA) and the Betting Act 1953.
The Common Gaming House Act is an updated version of the original 1953 Betting Act. According to the latest amendments, digital gambling is illegal in Malaysia; however, the legislation only applies to “providers,” as in betting sites and local gambling joints.
It also mentions that it’s illegal to operate a gambling business without a license from the proper authorities in Malaysia.
What do we understand from this? It’s that no betting website can accept players from Malaysia if it’s based in Malaysia and doesn’t have a license. Does that mean you can’t bet on your favorite sports from the country?
Of course not! It’s just that you have to stick to offshore bookmakers. By “offshore,” we’re referring to sites that are not based in Malaysia. At the same time, you should only bet at sites that are legal in Malaysia.
Any licensing authority that doesn’t restrict Malaysia is valid for online punters. Malta Gaming Authority and Curacao Master Licenses are great examples of licensing bodies that cover Malaysian online betting.