Gambling syndicates in Malaysia have apparently found a sneaky way to get around the law. They’re reportedly easily getting their hands on SIM cards registered under other people’s names, especially foreigners. This has become a real headache for authorities trying to crack down on illegal gambling activities.
According to the outgoing Royal Malaysia Police Inspector-General, Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, these syndicates are obtaining SIM cards in bulk, all registered under different names, and using them to run online gambling operations.
What’s more, they’re openly promoting their gambling services on social media. And that’s another challenge for the police because getting cooperation from service providers to block these promotions isn’t easy.
“They (the syndicates) also operate without face-to-face interaction. All transactions are conducted online, from player registration to payment. It is also easily accessible and downloadable by the public.
“Their call centers operate out of luxury residences such as condominiums with high security and access cards, making enforcement actions difficult. These syndicates also frequently change locations,” he told Harian Metro in a statement translated into English.
He mentioned that gambling syndicates are now going after social media influencers with big followings to help promote online gambling.
“This cross-border gambling activity involves a network of servers believed to be located overseas, where authorities face difficulties in obtaining cooperation and where it falls outside the jurisdiction of national laws,” he said.
Because of this, he explained that the police are ramping up enforcement efforts to fight online gambling. That includes carrying out raids on both premises and individuals involved, and teaming up with other agencies to address the issue.
He also encouraged the public to report any gambling activities through the Criminal Investigation Department’s hotline. He added that any reports received will be acted on immediately, and the identity of those who report will be protected by the police.
Ongoing crackdown on illegal gambling operations
In March, ReadWrite reported that local police in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, cut off electricity to over 450 online gambling operations as part of a crackdown on illegal gambling and unlicensed premises in the area.
Although gambling on horse racing and lotteries is legal in Malaysia, strict laws are in place that ban sports betting and all forms of online gambling.
Featured image: Canva
