The Home Minister’s comments came in response to a question whether the government had any plans to overthrow the nation’s obsolete present laws which were introduced back in the 1950s and 1960s.
The country’s Home Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, said during a question-and-answer session which happened today from the Dewan Rakyat (the lower house of the Malaysian Parliament) that his fellow lawmakers have decided to update the laws because at present they do not cover online gambling. But, digital gambling and betting have become extremely common in the nation and the region as a whole over the last ten years.
Illegal Gambling Firms Increasing
Malaysia’s government wants to amend the nation’s existing gambling laws in order to bring them in line with the contemporary gambling environment in the country, according to local press outlets.
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Reports the Malaysian government was looking to reorganize the local gaming market emerged in May. Back then, lawmakers in addition to agents from Malaysia’s Finance Ministry, the country’s Communication and Multimedia Commission, Bank Negara Malaysia, and the local authorities met with licensed gambling operators to discuss strategies towards the introduction of a new legal framework and steps which can be deployed for fighting illegal gaming.
The country’s Home Minister said he would not hesitate to work against any police officer who is found to be involved in the provision of illegal gambling services on the territory of the country.
These pieces of legislation were implemented way before the debut of internet gambling and lack the necessary controls for curbing irregularities in that rewarding section.
A gaming operator who attended the meeting told local press outlets that legislators were “seriously looking into changing gaming laws” in order to boost the ongoing crackdown on unauthorized gaming and betting operations happening on the land of the country.
News about lawmakers seeking to craft new rules and regulations that would govern the nation’s gambling industry emerge shortly after Malaysia’s authorities announced that over 14,700 individuals have been arrested and more than MYR3.8 million was seized in raids against illegal gaming since the start of the year.
Now’s Q&A session also saw Alice Lau, a member of Malaysia’s Parliament representing the Lanang constituency, urge the government to tackle the rising issue of police officers participate in illegal gambling operations. She asked what measures could be obtained so for this issue to be dealt with.
Minister Muhyiddin also dwelt about the growing amount of illegal gambling syndicates in the country, stating that some of them are believed to be bringing up to MYR300,000 a day by targeting Malaysian clients. Such operations are being conducted without the necessary licenses and permission by the competent government.
