In a significant crackdown on illegal gambling, Malaysia has taken down over 457,000 gambling-related posts and blocked approximately 1,800 websites deemed illegal as part of enforcement actions conducted from January 1 to May 31, 2025. The Communication Ministry of Malaysia announced these figures, noting that 98% of the total 467,772 takedown requests stemmed from proactive monitoring efforts by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), along with referrals from law enforcement.
Gambling enforcement is under the jurisdiction of the police, while the MCMC plays a supportive role in investigations, facilitating website blocks in accordance with the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and the Online Safety Act 2025.
The government also responded to inquiries from Mr. Prabakaran M Parameswaran, revealing that from January 1, 2022, to June 30 of this year, the MCMC issued 275,787 requests for the removal of scam-related content, which included cases of fake identities and impersonation. The ministry's efforts resulted in the successful removal of 262,293 posts, representing 95% of the requests submitted based on both provider complaints and relevant legal provisions.
Moreover, five requests for the removal of financial fraud-related content were received under the Online Safety Act 2025 during the first half of this year, all of which were successfully acted upon.
