AW8 Casino Privacy Policy
As the majority of the population of Malaysia are Muslim, online gambling is technically illegal in the country. While it’s obviously illegal to host an internet gambling platform, it is not very clear whether patronizing an online gambling site is illegal or not.
The gambling laws in Malaysia were written a few decades ago and there isn’t a single law that specifically mentions the act of placing online bets. For the most part, online gambling is being overlooked by the state and somewhat tolerated by the authorities.
Every single day there are many Malaysian players that are wagering over the internet. Most of the reputable international online gambling sites are accepting players from Malaysia and some even process deposits and withdrawals in RM.
However, all of this does not mean that online gambling in Malaysia is risk-free. The number of complaints and calls for the ban on online gambling is constantly increasing and the Sharia law does have the last say in Malaysia.
But most players from Malaysia are gambling online without a single worry in the world. These players know that it is very easy to get, make a deposit, and place bets as long as they stick to the trusted online gambling sites.
If you decide to gamble online from Malaysia, it is advisable to stick to trusted international sites that aren’t based in Malaysia. There are plenty of online casinos that have a valid gaming license from reputable authorities like PAGCOR which are accepting players from Malaysia such as AW8.
Table of Contents
Gambling Law in Malaysia
As we mentioned above, Malaysia is predominantly a Muslim state so almost all forms of gambling, including online gambling, are considered illegal. There are three major frameworks that are shaping up the gambling laws in Malaysia.
i. Betting Act 1953
The Betting Act 1953 is the first thorough law that forbids all forms of gambling. This act even addresses telecommunications and other forms of transmitted bets that are conducted between the customers and the betting places. It is written with a language that covers almost all possible loopholes that you might look to find in a piece of legislation written decades ago.
Even today, there is no clear and easy way to go around it. The act specifies that anyone caught operating a betting place or patronizing one will get a penalty of RM200,000 and 5 years in jail. Although this betting act is very strict and complete, it is still unclear whether betting sites fall under the definition of a “betting house”.
ii. Common Gaming Houses Act 1953
While the Betting Act 1953 was primarily referring towards sports betting and bookmaking, the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 covers almost all other forms of gambling. This betting act forbids operating a gambling house and even being caught in one of them.
If a person is caught in a gambling house then they will be subject to a fine of up to RM5,000 and up to 6 months in prison. The definition of a gambling house in this betting act is explained to a great length. It covers pretty much every possible location where people can gather and gamble.
The definition of this term could understandably be applied to gambling sites as well but it looks like Malaysian officials have no interest in pursuing online gambling players and operators.
iii. Sharia Law
The Constitution of Malaysia makes Islam the mandatory religion for all Malayan people, which makeovers 60% of the country’s population. Non-Malayan people aren’t bound by Sharia law. Gambling is clearly forbidden by Sharia law, but that can be interpreted as only for 60% of the population.
The Privacy Principles in Malaysia
Malaysia does not have a specific law such as the Privacy Act that protects personal privacy, except for the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA). The PDPA deals with people’s personal data and focuses on regulating the processing of personal data in commercial transactions.
Under the PDPA, personal data refers to any information which can be used to identify a person, directly or indirectly. This includes cookies and trackers from websites that are processing data such as IP addresses, search history, browser history, and unique IDs.
The Malaysian PDPA forbids transfers of personal data outside of the country, with the exception of those countries which have been whitelisted by the Malaysian government, or if a specific permit is obtained from the receiving user.
This act operates on its 7 Data Protection Principles (PDPA Principles), which are stating its requirements, notification, and information requirements, as well as requirements for security and retention of the collected personal data.
The Personal Data Protection Commissioner (PDPC) is the authoritative body in Malaysia for implementing and enforcing the PDPA. This authority has the power to:
- Investigate
- Inspect the users’ personal data
- Access the data
- Search and take hold of the data with and without a warrant