Malaysia is a country with a predominantly Muslim population. As such, Sharia law dictates much of Malaysia’s legislation. All Muslims are forbidden to gamble, and may face some legal punishment. However, non-Muslim Malays are free to gamble at any of the country’s land casinos.
However, Muslim players have a great alternative through foreign online casinos. It is completely safe to place bets at these websites as they are based outside of the country. Usually, casinos that accept Malaysian players are licensed in Curacao or by the Malta Gaming Authority.
Malays can find many casinos that offer convenient e-wallet and cryptocurrency payment options. What’s more, these casinos accept the Malaysian Ringgit and let players browse through hundreds of games.
If you'd like to join thousands of Malaysians who place safe real money wagers at online casinos, then have a look at our casino listings. Every site has been reviewed and tested by our team of in-house experts.
As you read below, you will learn more about the state of gambling in Malaysia; most common payment options, what you can expect from online casinos, information about taxes, and much more!
18+, Full T&C’s Apply
18+, Full T&C’s Apply
18+, Full T&C’s Apply
18+, Full T&C’s Apply
18+, Full T&C’s Apply
Malaysia is a country with an extremely rich and complex history. The country has been influenced by many rulers over the years, such as Dutch, British and Portuguese conquerors. To illustrate our point, records indicate presence of communities on Malaysian territories as far back as 38,000 B.C.
Not many details on gambling history have been accounted for, however. Still, the country’s more recent history has laid the groundwork that shape Malaysia’s legal gambling landscape to this day.
The country’s Betting Act of 1953 is a common gambling law that still holds up to this day. This act refers to many gambling forms as a crime, and in no unclear terms makes them punishable by law with a fine of up to RM 200,000 – USD 45,000. The gambling forms covered by this law include sports betting and betting houses. The latter is a bit ambiguous, which is why several land casinos have a government-issued license to operate on Malaysian soil.
However, even though some land casinos and horse tracks are open for gambling, Sharia Law prevents all Malay Muslims from participating in these venues. This is not a matter of cultural preference, either, as Sharia is actual law that treats gambling as a criminal activity. Those who find themselves in a betting house (casino, poker room, etc.) can be fined up to RM 300 – USD 600, or jailed for up to 2 years.
While some aspects of Malaysia’s gambling laws are open to interpretation, the general consensus is that online gambling within the country is illegal. Yet, those who seek to wager at online casinos licensed outside Malaysia are free to do so without fear of legal repercussions.
The legal status of gambling in Malaysia is possibly one of the most interesting on the planet. To give you a quick answer before digging into the details: gambling is mostly illegal in the country, this includes both online and offline forms of casino gambling, sports betting, pokers, and similar games of luck.
This is where things get interesting. Malaysia is a country where a majority of the population are Muslims, and every Muslim is forbidden from gambling in all possible forms. However, Malaysian residents who do not have a Muslim background are free to gamble at any of the legal land casinos on the country’s soil. The legal gambling age is 21.
There are several land casinos on Malaysian soil where non-Muslims and foreigners are welcome. The Genting World Resort, which encompasses five hotels, night clubs and restaurants. The resort is home to a couple legal land casinos: Casino de Genting and Star Casino.
There are also three legal race tracks in the country, situated in the cities of Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh.
Online casinos are illegal to all Malays, regardless of their religious background. The Betting Control Unit, which operates under the helm of the Ministry of Finance, is in charge of regulating all gambling establishments in the country.
Since online casinos are not legal to operate in Malaysia, players are free to register and gamble at foreign casino sites. The government does not prosecute Malays who gamble at off-shore sites, and many players can relax in knowing their gambling activities are safe.
Malaysian players love all sorts of games, ranging from slot machines to live dealer tables. Historically, the country has overseen many forms of gambling. In the online casino world, the choices are virtually endless. Some online casinos have thousands of games on offer. As such, Malays play all sorts of games for real money.
Sports betting is also popular on Malaysian territory, including football, basketball and greyhound racing. However, live casinos deserve a special mention. This is because a large amount of Asian game providers host games from studios in the Philippines. They commonly accept the Malaysian Ringgit as a currency and offer localized customer support.
Payment methods, security, language and currencies, gaming selection – all of these pieces make up the puzzle that is a Malaysian online casino.
Our team of in-house experts filters through hundreds of Internet gambling sites in order to bring out the best of the best. We look at every conceivable aspect of a casino’s service, which you can easily check out in any of our casino reviews.
Not all casinos are the same, and many players have different tastes. This is why there is no “Best Malaysian online casino”, as this is largely a subjective choice. One player may have a certain preference for games, whereas others will look for big bonuses above all else.
We take all of this into consideration. As you read on you will get a glimpse at our review process and the major factors we look at to determine a casino’s quality.
When reviewing online casinos, the first thing we inspect are the security standards. The licensing plays a key role, and we would never feature a casino without a proper license, such as Curacao, MGA, Panama or Isle of Man. These licensing authorities are respected in the market because they enforce strict fair play regulations to operators, meaning players can feel safe while playing.
Many foreign online casinos are available in Malay, as they aim to cater to Malaysian customers through any means necessary. This means the games, the web interface, customer support – all will be available in your local language.
However, English online gambling sites work just the same. Thousands of Malaysians have no issues playing at these casinos and making secure deposits and withdrawals.
We mentioned that licensing is the first thing on our to-do list when reviewing Malaysian casinos. Customer support is the second, as it plays a vital role to the customer experience.
As a player, you will want to know that you have multiple ways of seeking help if things go wrong. This means proper live chat coverage throughout the day or 24/7. We also look at response times and quality of said responses.
Telephone support is also a plus, many leading online casinos don’t have a phone number. This is because majority of players prefer live chat, as it is the fastest option for resolving issues or player questions.
Malaysian online casinos are overflowing with games by top-tier gaming providers. Some of them have a global presence, but many of them are crafted for the Asian market.
As such, you can expect games by big names such as Betsoft, Yggdrasil Gaming, Spadegaming, XIN Gaming, Booongo, Kuma Gaming, SimplePlay, and many others. This means hundreds of games of all types will be at your disposal. The average Malay online casino offers a wide selection of slots, table games, video poker, live dealer tables, bingo and scratch cards.
At CasinoRank, we carefully evalutate and list the most popular online casino games in Malaysia.
Everybody loves slots, and it’s no secret why. Slots are flashy, fast and easy to pick up. They can also generate some lucrative winnings. In your typical Malaysian online casino, you will have hundreds of video slots to choose from. These games are known for the best up-to-date graphics and creative bonus features.
As Malay gambling sites are powered by providers such as Betsoft, Play N Go and NetEnt, you can expect mega-popular titles in the likes of Guns N Roses, Raging Rhino Megaways, Ariana, Cleopatra, Arabian Nights, Mega Fortune, Mega Moolah, and many others!
Slots may be large and in charge in every online casino’s gaming library, but they are usually complemented with an excellent variety of table games. Simply put, you can’t have one without the other, if an operator aims to deliver a proper casino experience.
As such, you can expect excellent variety in tables of Roulette, Poker, Blackjack, Craps and Baccarat. These games often boast dozens of variants, such as European/American/French Roulette, Regular/Multihand/Vegas Strip Blackjack, Control/Squeeze Baccarat – and many others!
You can also head over to the live casino and experience the next level of casino gaming. Live dealer tables offer the next best thing to actually visiting a land casino. This is thanks to HD streams, interactive dealers and professional table settings hosted in high-end studios.
The first thought on player’s minds upon entering casinos is the bonus selection. And rightfully so, as online casino bonuses can greatly increase your chances of turning a large profit from your deposit.
As you read on, you will get a brief overview of the types of casino bonuses you can expect at Malaysian online casinos.
There are many benefits to playing at Malaysian online casinos, and perhaps the biggest of them all is the welcome bonus. This offer, exclusively available to new players, will often double or triple your initial deposit. For instance, if you’ve deposited €100, you would have €300 to play with.
If the wagering requirements are also fair, then you will be in for quite a potential profit. And we can’t emphasize this enough; the bonus terms is where the real bonus value is hidden. If the wagering requirements are too high, then the bonus funds don’t really matter. It’s important to have fair terms that will give you a reasonable time frame to wager your bonus.
Fortunately, Malaysian online casinos fare well in this regard.
Slots and free spins bonuses go hand in hand. This bonus type has overtaken the online casino world, and replaced out of favor promotions such as reload and cash back offers.
As a new player, you will often be offered free spins alongside a first deposit match. However, be on the lookout, as casinos offer free spins on select games on a regular basis. They may happen in time for a new slot release, as part of a loyalty rewards program, or during special events and holidays.
These bonuses are not that common as they used to be years ago, but they are still decently available at Malaysian online casinos.
The reload/cashback bonus is essentially the same thing. This bonus type will return a portion of your lost bets on a daily or weekly basis. These bonuses are not free money, however, as your cashback amount will always need to be wagered.
| Rank | Casino | Bonus | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gratorama | Up to €/£/$200 | 8 |
| 2 | Party | $500 | 8 |
| 3 | Dafabet | $2000 | 7 |
| 4 | Drück Glück | $100 | 8 |
| 5 | Slots Magic | $100 | 8 |
| 6 | Maxim88 | Up to SGD 900 | 7.7 |
| 7 | K9WIN | $100 + Special Bonuses | 8.79 |
| 8 | Jack998 | Welcome bonus 500% Risk Free Bet | 7.9 |
| 9 | Play Million | $200 | 8 |
| 10 | Cherry Casino | $500 | 8 |
The online gambling industry continues to grow worldwide. In fact, its projected growth is from $64.13 billion in 2020 to more than $72 billion in 2021. Malaysia is no exception to the rise of Internet-based gambling. Despite national restrictions on online gaming, interest in online casinos continues to increase among Malaysians.
None at all. The country does not have any laws related to online gambling, except for the fact that it is prohibited. As such, no part of Malaysian law states that players must report and pay taxes for their online casino winnings.
Yes and no. Some online casinos are especially fond of the Malaysian market, and they offer the MYR as a primary currency option to players. However, most online casinos that accept Malays are usually available in EUR, USD or GBP. You can use any of these currencies in your account and make MYR deposits and withdrawals.
The Malaysian government does not prosecute individuals who gamble online. They also rarely prosecute those who illegally visit land casinos as well, even though the law convers certain penalties. Instead, the government goes after the operators who organize illegal casino games. As such, you can rest assured it is completely safe to play at foreign-licensed online casino sites.
Many casinos that accept Malays offer hundreds of games to play for free in “Demo Mode”. These games are exactly the same as their real money counterparts, but no profits can be generated from playing. On the flipside, playing for free will let you try out games for as long as you like. This way, you can see which ones are suited to your taste and budget before making a real money deposit!
Absolutely. Online casino bonuses are an important aspect for attracting new customers and maintaining the interest of existing players. As such, you can expect an endless stream of bonuses coming your way. The most valuable bonus is the welcome bonus, exclusive to new customers.
You can also anticipate free spins, cashback, reload and sometimes no deposit bonuses.
This depends on the online casino’s withdrawal policy. Nowadays, online casinos will rarely, if ever, charge a withdrawal fee to customers. The reason is simple: if the fees are high, players will go to a different casino. The competition is high, and because of this there is a low cost of playing.
Your payment processor may incur a small subcharge to your transaction, particularly if you are using debit cards and bank transfers for withdrawals. If you are converting MYR to a different currency, a small fee may be applied as well, but no more than 2% to 3% of your transaction value.
Receiving your online casino winnings is a simple process, especially if you are using an e-wallet. However, keep in mind that all online casino customers are required to verify their identity. This is a standard security procedure to prevent fraud, bonus abuse and underage gambling.
Usually completed by sending a proof of address and a photo/scan of your personal ID or passport, this process takes a day or two to complete. We recommend you initiate it as soon as you create an account at the casino. This way, you will avoid longer withdrawal times when it’s time to cash out.
Most online casinos have withdrawal security checks that begin as soon as you request a payout. In general, they can take from a few hours up to a couple of days. Once the security check is complete, the time it takes for the money to arrive in your account depends on your payment method.
E-wallet withdrawals are the fastest; they can be instant or take up to 24 hours on average. Those withdrawing via debit cards and bank transfers may be faced with waiting times of up to 7 business days.
Not many online casinos are willing to accept direct bank transfers from Malaysian banks, as online gambling is illegal in the country. On the flipside, Malays can look towards secure and convenient alternatives such as e-wallets, prepaid cards and cryptocurrency.
These methods are commonly used by players worldwide thanks to their security, ease of use and cost-efficiency: