Malaysia Getting Tough On Illegal Gamblers

This story was published more than 12 years ago.

The Malaysian government is going to be getting tough on online gambling, including potential jail time for players State Police Chief Datuk Wira Ayub Yaakob said this weekend.

"So far, we have only charged the organisers of the gambling activities and owners of premises, like cyber cafes that were being used as gambling dens. "There are provisions in the law to charge those who are caught gambling on machines... we will make these people face the law as well." said Ayub.

Currently Malaysian police only detain gamblers to make sure they help prosecute the illegal online gambling operations. However, due to the fact that the illicit gambling operations have continued, the police see the need to strictly enforce the law; even if it means taking online gamblers to jail.

On Friday the police force conducted raids on 25 illegal gambling sites. The raids took place in Jelutong, Lebuh Chulia, Lebuh Macallum Bayan Lepas and Kota Permai in Bukit Mertajam, netting 25 arrests and the seizure of 302 computers and RM763,000 in cash.

Additional raids over the weekend i Kampung Batak and Relau saw the detaining of 79 people, who were fined RM1,000 each and charged with the crime of illegal gambling.

Year to date the Malaysian police have completed 1,718 raids with 631 arrests and 6,416 computers seized. The numbers are a big jump from the year before, which saw 271 people arrested and 1,972 computers seized.