TLDR
- Malaysia is studying a plan to bring Bank Negara Malaysia and banks into its fight against online gambling.
- MCMC removed 724,879 gambling-related items between January 2025 and October 2026.
- That figure equals 98% of the 738,372 takedown requests sent in the period.
- MCMC and its partners blocked 2,603 gambling websites, including 573 from January to July 2026.
- Police lead arrests and asset seizures, while MCMC provides technical and investigative support.
Malaysia is studying a plan to bring its central bank and commercial banks into the fight against online gambling, a senior official told Parliament this week. The proposal would target the money behind gambling syndicates, not just the websites they run.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching shared the update during the Dewan Rakyat question session on November 3. She also gave new figures on how much gambling content the country’s regulator has removed since early 2025.
The proposal is still under study, Teo said. No timeline or final structure was announced.
Banks Could Join the Effort
The idea came up when Roy Angau Gingkoi (GPS-Lubok Antu) asked about a stricter way to block bank accounts and payments tied to gambling groups. Teo said officials are looking at closer cooperation between the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Bank Negara Malaysia, banks and enforcement agencies.
She said the plan could improve monitoring of gambling activity. It could also support tougher action against the people running these operations.
The financial focus would sit alongside existing work. That work centers on finding gambling content online and blocking the sites that host it.
Roy Angau had also asked about MCMC’s tools for detecting gambling traffic. His question covered how servers and platforms are identified and blocked, including joint work with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).
Takedown Numbers Climb
Teo said MCMC removed 724,879 gambling-related items between January 1, 2025 and October 31, 2026. That equals 98% of the 738,372 takedown requests sent during that period.
The commission also worked with service providers and enforcement agencies to block 2,603 gambling websites. Teo presented the figures in response to questions from several lawmakers.
Aminolhuda Hassan (PH-Sri Gading) asked for a monthly count from January to July 2026. He also asked how agencies and digital platforms stop removed content from coming back, and how well the work was carried out.
For that seven-month window, Teo said 573 gambling websites were blocked. Another 253,424 gambling-related items were taken down with help from service providers.
Police remain the lead agency on gambling cases under the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953. MCMC handles misuse of communications networks under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and the Online Safety Act 2025.
The commission supports police with investigation help, information sharing and digital forensics. This work helps identify the content and websites used for online betting.
In 2026, MCMC took part in police-led operations Op JOL and Op Soga XI. Both targeted online gambling and betting linked to the FIFA World Cup 2026.
MCMC is also working with police and service providers on Op Pancing and Op Delusi. These operations target fake base transceiver station equipment, known as Fake BTS, which is used to send bulk text messages with links to illegal activities.
RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) asked how authorities coordinate the seizure of gambling profits. Teo said arrests and asset seizures fall under PDRM’s control.
She said MCMC does not seize cash or arrest suspects directly. Its role is to back police-led operations with technical and investigative support.
