Malaysia Police Arrest 282 in Two-Day Online Gambling Raid

Malaysian police arrested 282 people in a nationwide two-day operation against online gambling and unlicensed lotteries, according to the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department. Readers comparing country rules can start with our Malaysia casino hub.

What police did

The operation, called Ops Dadu Khas, ran from 31 October to 1 November 2026 and covered the whole country, including Sabah and Sarawak. Police carried out 201 raids: 108 on premises linked to online gambling and 93 on premises tied to unlicensed public lotteries.

Who was arrested

Of the 282 people arrested, 229 were men and 53 were women, aged 20 to 65. Police said 223 were Malaysian and 59 were foreign nationals from Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal and Bangladesh, whom they described as employed by local syndicates. Suspects were remanded for one to four days.

Police seized RM32,149 in cash, along with tablets, mobile phones, mobile printers and other electronic devices.

Syndicates and front businesses

Police said the operators used cafes, beverage outlets and sundry shops as fronts. Two syndicates, preliminarily identified as “Winbox” and “Alibaba”, were named, but police have not yet identified their leaders.

Datuk M. Kumar, director of Bukit Aman CID, said syndicates “may operate at location A today, close it tomorrow and move to location B”. He also said transactions were carried out online, “allowing them to operate from virtually anywhere”.

What happens next

Police are opening money-laundering investigations under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLA), with the gaming offences as predicate offences. Police have also recommended disconnecting electricity at all 201 premises after investigations, under Section 21A of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953. Premises will be referred to local authorities once enough evidence is gathered, and charges are expected under the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 and the Immigration Act 1959/63.

Why it matters for readers

The raid shows enforcement reaching cafes, payment flows and operators, not only the people who place bets. Before depositing anywhere, check whether a site is licensed for Malaysia. Our earlier report on how Malaysia has blocked gambling domains covers the domain-blocking side of the same enforcement push. For the regulator’s own updates, see the MCMC website.

Have you seen unlicensed gambling outlets in your area? Share what you noticed in the comments.

Source: Malay Mail, 2 November 2026.

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