LAWS related to gambling are being reviewed to ensure they remain relevant, especially with regards to online gambling, says the Deputy Home Minister.

       Datuk Seri Ismail Mohamed Said (pic) said the move was necessary to tackle the rise in online gambling.

       “We are looking at the laws related to gambling to ensure that they remain relevant with regards to their modus operandi, especially online gambling.

       “In this respect, the Home Ministry is working with the Finance Ministry to see if laws should be amended to ensure that they are relevant to the times,” he said when replying to a question raised by Noorita Sual (PH-Tenom) in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

       Noorita wanted to know what was being done to tackle online gambling, especially those involving children and youth below 18.

       “How about online gambling through the handphones, as even my children’s handphones are flooded with such activities,” she had asked.

       Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim (BN-Baling) said online gambling via handphones was rampant among youth in rural areas.

       “They don’t need to go to a location to gamble. Now they gamble in the plantations using their handphones,” he said when raising a supplementary question.

       He claimed that gambling activities were also happening at sundry shops in rural areas.

       At present, Ismail Mohamed said illegal gambling was being tackled through laws such as the Common Gaming Houses Act 1957 and Betting Act 1953.

       He said that illegal online gambling activities could also be dealt with through the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2001 and Prevention of Crime Act 1959.

       Apart from these laws, he said the authorities would also work with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to block online gambling sites.

       Earlier, Ismail Mohamed informed the House that over 7,000 individuals have been charged in court for illegal gambling activities over the last three years.