Gambling Laws in Malaysia: What Travelers Should Know Before Visiting Genting Highlands

In Malayasia casino gambling was once a leisure activity reserved for the elite class; however, it has become increasingly common, thanks to online casinos, which have eliminated the need to visit a physical casino. What brought online casinos to the picture when physical casinos were there? The answer to this question is that physical casinos are allowed only in a few countries, and to do casino gambling at a physical casino in person, which not everyone can afford.

The problem of remaining physically present at the casino got eliminated by online casinos, as those can be accessed from anywhere; all you need is a computing device with an internet connection. To play at casinos online in Malaysia or your country of residence, first, you have to know the laws related to casino gambling in your country. It is because if your country of residence does not allow gambling, it will not be a wise decision to invest your money in gambling. We are going to discuss casino gambling in Malaysia. Keep reading.

Are there any physical casinos in Malaysia?

If you are a resident of Malaysia and is a fan of casino games, you may already know about physical casinos in the country. For the unversed, physical casinos, i.e., land-based casinos, are not allowed in Malaysia except Casino De Genting, which is the only legal land-based casino in Malaysia. When we talk about the location, it is located in Resorts World Genting with nearly 426 tables and approximately 3,000 machines that are available round the clock.

Except for this, you will not find any land-based casino in Malaysia, and if there is any other physical casino in your knowledge, avoid wagering there because it is not under the government’s control, meaning your money is at risk.

Unique Facts about Casino De Genting

Maybe you have played at the Casino De Genting, but do you know that Muslims are not allowed in this casino? Since its opening in the 1970’s, this norm has been in application, and the exact reason no one knows, but according to some people, gambling is prohibited in the Islamic financial system because casino gambling is all about games of chance where an individual wins by mere chance.

Not only gambling, but every activity in which a person wins or loses his property by a mere chance is prohibited in Islam. It is not mentioned anywhere, but it is believed to be the main reason behind the ban on the entry of Muslims in Malaysia’s only land-based casino. Not only are Muslims not allowed to enter Casino De Genting, but individuals below 21 years of age are also not allowed in this casino. However, if you are a tourist or a foreign national, you can visit Casino De Genting and play your favorite casino games without any worries.

Cultural Sensitivity around Gambling in Malaysia

Malaysia is muslim-majority country, and gambling is prohibited in Islam, and that’s the major reason behind the ban on gambling activities such as casino gambling. Other than Casino De Genting, there is no other land-based casino. Here, online casinos come to the residents of Malaysia, where casino lovers can play their favorite casino games, including Slots, Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette, and others. Let’s now shed light on the gambling laws in Malaysia.

Gambling Laws in Malaysia

As you know, gambling at physical casinos is banned except at Casino De Genting, which is under the Malaysian government’s control. When we talk about the gambling laws in Malaysia, there are mainly three legal frameworks around which the gambling laws revolve, which are the Betting Act 1953, the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, and Shariah Law.

The Betting Act 1953 is the major one among the three and bans all forms of gambling except if the betting operator has a legal license to operate. Also, the company should cover telecommunications and other means of transmitting bets between customers and betting houses. The Betting Act 1953 states that anyone caught running a betting house or caught in a betting house will be penalized with RM200,000 fine and 5 year of jail term.

The second is the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 is an improved version of the Betting Act 1953 that covers all types of gambling. This act defines gaming as the playing of any game of chance or of mixed chance and skill for money or money’s worth. According to the 2020 amendment to this law, there will be an increase in punishments for both illegal gamblers and gambling operators. The penalty was increased from RM5, 000 to RM100,000 and a minimum jail sentence of 6 months.

The last one is the Shariah Law, which is followed in Muslim countries and Malaysia is a Muslim country that recognizes Shariah law. Under the Shariah or Sharia law, all forms of gambling are banned.

If you are planning to engage in gambling, particularly casino gambling, you should be familiar with these laws. However, online casinos are unregulated, allowing casino lovers to play their favorite casino games, but being unregulated also means that if you got defrauded, the government will not step in. To avoid this situation, you should invest your money wisely, and the best way is to invest only smaller amounts, which don’t affect your finances if, by chance, you end up on the losing side.

We hope you got the answers to all your questions related to gambling and gambling laws in Malaysia. Share your thoughts and feedback in the comments; we’d love to hear from you.