Malaysia freezes over 150 mule accounts in $7.5M gambling crackdown
Malaysian authorities have frozen more than RM32 million (US$6.8 million) across 150 mule accounts since 2023 in a nationwide effort to stop illegal online gambling and scams. These accounts were used by criminals to move money and hide their illegal activities.
As of March 2025, police have recorded 485 gambling-related cases, which led to 542 arrests and 255 people being charged in court. The number of cases is going down, with 1,510 cases recorded in 2024 and 2,337 cases in 2023. That year, 2,681 people were arrested and 1,390 were charged.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow shared the figures at the Penang state legislative assembly. He said, “As of March this year, we have recorded 485 cases, 542 arrests and 255 individuals charged in court.”
Laws tightened
To support this crackdown, the government has changed the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. The updates introduce tougher penalties for cybercrimes, including online gambling and scams.
Chow said police have carried out special operations like Ops Dadu to stop gambling and scam networks. These syndicates often use third-party mule accounts to hide their money.
The (MCMC) has also taken action. Between 2020 and 2022, it blocked 6,381 websites and terminated 212,000 phone numbers used to promote online gambling. MCMC is also working with Tenaga Nasional Bhd to cut electricity to locations used for illegal gambling.
Chow noted that Penang has recorded 4,332 cases related to online gambling and scams since 2023. He said the government is fully committed to working with enforcement agencies and keeping Penang residents safe.
Online gambling remains illegal
While Malaysia allows some forms of legal gambling—such as lotteries, horse racing and land-based 바카라s—online gambling and sports betting remain banned under the country’s laws.
In a recent case, the Magistrates’ Court in Kuching fined 28-year-old Tiruparen K. Perumal RM10,000 ($2,130) or six months’ jail after he was found using his mobile phone for online betting. He was caught in a café in Kota Sentosa in 2021. A forensic check confirmed betting activity, and his device was classified as a gaming machine under the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953. Represented by lawyer Russell Lim, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced under Section 4B(a) of the same act.
