Malaysia warns influencers over online gambling promotions

01-10-2020 |  

Malaysia’s consumer groups and legal experts are warning that social media influencers who promote online gambling platforms could face criminal liability, amid growing concerns that gambling-related content is increasingly reaching younger audiences online.

Datuk Indrani Thuraisingham, vice-president of the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations, said influencers risk becoming “active accomplices” to illegal gambling syndicates by leveraging their online followings to promote betting platforms. “Influencers hold immense social capital; using that capital to monetise addiction is an ethical failure and a legal ticking time bomb,” Indrani said, warning that some content creators may not fully understand the potential legal consequences of accepting sponsorships linked to gambling promotions.

She added that gambling-related material was no longer limited to obscure online spaces, but was increasingly appearing in mainstream social media feeds disguised as entertainment, gaming content or “easy money” opportunities. According to Indrani, the trend was particularly concerning for younger users and those with limited financial literacy, with repeated exposure potentially normalising gambling behaviour among minors and vulnerable individuals.

Malaysia maintains strict controls on gambling activity, with enforcement historically governed under the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 and Betting Act 1953. However, legal observers say those laws were drafted decades before the emergence of social media and online gambling platforms. Indrani noted that authorities have increasingly relied on provisions under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 to address online gambling-related content and digital promotions. She also welcomed ongoing efforts to introduce more comprehensive legislation specifically targeting online gambling and related cyber-enabled activities.

The consumer advocate called on social media companies to take a more proactive approach toward removing gambling-related content, rather than relying primarily on user complaints and reactive enforcement. Lawyer Joshua Kong said updated legislation would provide authorities with stronger tools to tackle online gambling advertising and promotional activity.

“If we use 1953 laws to police 2026 crimes, criminals may end up getting away with their crimes,” Kong said, arguing that regulators and courts were currently forced to apply outdated legislation to modern digital gambling operations. Meanwhile, Teo Nie Ching recently warned that promoting online gambling platforms could already constitute an offence under existing Malaysian laws.

In a recent Facebook video addressing online gambling promotions, Teo cited provisions under the Common Gaming Houses Act that prohibit not only gambling activities themselves, but also the promotion or solicitation of gambling. “If you publicise or promote a gambling place or in any way encourage people to gamble, then you could have committed an offense,” she said.

Teo also pointed to recent enforcement actions involving influencers and gambling-related content, adding that cooperation between the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and police had intensified in efforts to remove such material from online platforms. “Combating online gambling is everyone’s responsibility,” she said, while urging social media companies to strengthen monitoring systems to limit the spread of gambling-related content online.

Source: AGBrief