Betting in Malaysia is considered quite taboo and yet Malaysia is known for its wild gambling. Although considered illegal under sharia law many individuals in Malaysia look to wager illegally on all sorts of sports.
Unknown to many, you can legally wager in Malaysia safely without strictly breaking the law. In today’s article, we go over the strange Malaysian gambling laws, how and where to wager on sports legally as well as some betting tips.
Malaysian Sports Betting Laws
Wagering in Malaysia is quite frowned upon due to the majority of the population practicing Islam. According to the Islam Sharia law, gambling is prohibited at all costs, this makes the majority of Malaysia anti-gambling.
That being said Malaysia does have legal and fully licensed casinos by the Ministry of Finance. As for sports wagering there is no legal form for players to make use of to place wagers. In fact, those looking to wager can either do so illegally or must do so online.
In Malaysia, gambling laws are so strict that even wagering with actual peanuts can sometimes land you in trouble with authorities all thanks to the betting act 1953.
How To Wager Safely From Malaysia
All that being said there are legal ways to enjoy wagering on your favorite sports. Since the betting act was written in 1956 it’s only gone through a singular revision back in 1992 as such has no mention of online wagering.
Online bookies have gotten wise and have since begun providing the residents and tourists with the opportunity to place bets on sports safely from MY without fear of prosecution. These sites operate offshore and therefore not on Malaysian soil. This means that you are technically not wagering in Malaysia.
The truth is you’re connected to a server from Malaysia that takes you to a site being operated thousands of miles away and hence you are not breaking the Malaysia wagering law. Malaysian law fails to mention any form of online wagering.
All that being said, it’s essential you keep your betting to private locations, just because it’s not technically illegal does not mean locals do not frown upon those that take part in wagering activities and it could land you in trouble with authorities especially if done in a public space.
What To Look For When Picking A Online Bookie
There are quite a few factors to consider when picking an online bookie, especially if you want to conduct your wagering hassle-free without being scammed.
Check Gaming Licences
Many believe that online bookies do not have the opportunity to achieve gaming licenses and as such never check for them. This is false information, the truth is there are many gaming authorities such as the Maltese Gaming Authority (MGA) that provide licenses for online bookies as well as casino sites.
In order for a bookie to achieve said license they must ensure to provide safe and fair gaming to their clients, authority sites make sure to put said bookies to the test and continuously do so throughout the year. Sites that do manage to achieve said license are given a badge to showcase on their site, this is used as a badge of honor to let their potential and current clients know that their site is indeed licensed and providing fair gameplay.
Site Security
Data is what makes the world go round and not money. Data is the most valuable asset of this era and for good reason, data can be used for a number of reasons both positive and negative. Unfortunately like anything valuable it attracts malicious users looking to profit from others’ misfortunes.
It’s essential to make sure the online bookie of choice has basic encryption techniques such as SSL. SSL is the typical grey padlock you see to the left of the link on the majority of popular sites. Google youtube for example and to the left side of the link you should be able to spot a grey locked padlock indicating that it is using and certified SSL encryption. If you ever wondered what happens if you jump through the deepest man-made hole in the world just try your luck at playing at an online bookie without basic site security.
Payment Methods
Make sure the site of choice has a good amount of payment methods. More specifically make sure the site of choice at least utilizes payment methods of your preference. Especially when looking to wager in Malaysia it’s important to find sites that accept Malaysian currency or at least if your just visiting, your preferred currency.
Conclusion
Although Malaysian authorities can be somewhat strict when it comes to gambling, Malaysia is still renowned for its illegal gambling scene which makes up around 70% of all gambling done in Malaysia.
Perhaps Malaysia should restructure and consider its tight few around gambling since it’s clearly not stopping its residents from taking their hobby to underground situations where residents are exposed to the dangers of the underground world.
Till then residents can either make use of the several offshore sites legally or continue their illegal wagering.
