Enhance efforts to combat online gambling

Online gambling activities are still widely active across the country and despite many efforts to combat the problem, results proved futile.

The online gambling promotions are seen everywhere across the net and even sending personal text messages to our mobile phones.

Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin informed the Dewan Rakyat on Monday that since 2018 to Oct 31 this year, 20,052 phone lines have been terminated by the Malaysian Communications Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for spamming text messages promoting gambling activities and unlicensed loans.

He said the initiative was taken to combat the ‘spam’ messages issue that had promoting online gambling activities.

In order to combat the online gambling activities, among the first steps taken by MCMC was to block all access to these online gambling websites.

According to the report, during the same period a total of 4,799 online gambling websites were blocked based on police instruction for the charges under the Common Gaming Houses 1953 (Act 289).

Tackling online gambling activities are tough as gamblers can simply log on via their mobile phones or personal computers and carry out online transaction upon request.

Easy access to these sites makes it even more vital for the public to cooperate with the authorities and provide information regarding these online gambling promotions.

All types of gambling platforms must be blocked including online sites as it can give negative impacts to society when some gambling addicts are willing to do anything to get their money.