Non-Muslims can also try their luck at the country`s casinos. There is only one legal casino in Malaysia, Casino de Genting, which was founded in 1969 by Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong. The casino mainly caters to ethnic Chinese traders who immigrated to the country in the early 19th century. The Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 and the Betting Act 1953 set out the laws governing casinos and illegal betting in Malaysia. The main objective of the law is to eliminate the existence of betting and gambling shops in public places. It outlines penalties and penalties for those who choose to ignore the law. The only legal land-based casino in Malaysia is the aforementioned Genting Highlands Resort, where the Genting Casino is located. Located 6,100 feet above sea level in the Titiwangsa Mountains, the « Fun City Above The Clouds » is far from the usual casino and its unique location makes it a must-see for those visiting the country. Kuala Lumpur coaches can get visitors there in an hour, so it`s not as far away as it may seem at first, and the theme park and adjacent hotels mean players won`t be bored if they fancy a break from the tables. In order to reduce gambling addiction, the Malaysian government has announced that it will no longer issue casino licenses. This means that the only legal casino in the country is the integrated mountain resort of Genting Group Casino Genting in the Genting Highlands in Pahang. The casino is only 50 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur and is easily accessible by train. It`s also about an hour`s drive away.
Those who want to visit the resort can play roulette, blackjack, poker, baccarat, pai dress, pontoon and slot machines. The Malaysian casino landscape includes 426 table games and 3,140 slots. The casino is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some forms of betting are legal in Malaysia today. One of them is pari-mutuel betting on horse racing when it takes place in person at a licensed racetrack. The other form is the lottery game, which is offered by three licensed companies: Non-Muslims in Malaysia can engage in many different types of games. Horse betting, which began in colonial times, is a legal gambling activity. Its legality is contained in the Totalizator Board Act 1961, which legalises all pari-mutuel horse betting run by racetracks in Malaysia. However, foreigners should be careful to bet only on duly licensed betting shops. Fong also believes that legalizing online gambling could lead to other social problems. Malaysian law states that it is illegal for Muslims to gamble online. All indigenous Malays are considered Muslims by law, so a large part of the population is excluded from any form of gambling.
This even extends to the few forms of legal gambling that exist in the country. Non-indigenous Malaysians have more freedom to play as long as they do so with licensed operators in the real world. Placing bets with offshore bookmakers is always a legal problem. The Betting Act of 1953 imposes penalties on anyone found in an « ordinary betting shop ». If you are caught in an unlicensed casino, you are liable to a fine of up to MYR 5,000 and up to six months in prison. Is gambling illegal in online casinos and betting sites? A quote from the Inspector General of Police in 2016 suggests that they believe that simply placing bets on offshore gambling sites is illegal: it is clearly illegal to operate Malaysian betting sites, but the legality of gambling on offshore websites is not so clear. Some of the questions depend on your citizenship status in the country. Ethnic Malays are considered Muslims and are therefore excluded from all forms of gambling under Sharia law, which is enforced in the country.
Internet casinos in Malaysia may not be a legal gambling activity in Malaysia. But many locals have found their way to keep playing. Genting Casino offers an online casino, but they are technically inaccessible to Malaysian players. Those who want to play at the legal online casino can do so by playing on internationally licensed websites. The country may not have strict rules for online gambling, but the government is finding a way to limit local access by limiting banking transactions to online casinos. Malaysia has a population of 30 million and gambling is a popular, though highly regulated, pastime. There is no law specifically dealing with online gambling, but it is illegal to operate any form of betting establishment without explicit permission from the authorities. Underground gambling caves are as common in the country as unlicensed betting sites. Although Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country (gambling is against Islamic law), Malaysia`s online gambling law is such that non-Muslims are free to gamble in online casinos and sports betting. However, it is illegal to operate an online casino in the country.
However, many online casinos outside Malaysia freely accept Malaysian players. The legal status of poker in Malaysia is not really clearly defined. Is it a game of chance (and therefore illegal under Islamic law) or an address? There are very few poker options in Malaysia, but some of the country`s poker players have succeeded – Paul Phua, Richard Yong and Wai Leong Chan are three of the most recognizable names in Malaysian poker. Playing at local gambling sites without a license poses a greater risk. These types of websites are often targeted by the police, and their operators face serious legal problems in this case.