Best Malaysia Bookmakers

With one of the highest GDPs in the region, 314,5 billion USD in 2017, Malaysia is a very modern and economically stable state. However, when it comes to online betting or other forms of gambling, they did not develop much of a market. With Islam being the dominant religion of the country, with over 61% of residents, this can easily be the reason why the country doesn’t offer an advantageous climate for online betting.

Malaysia, however, didn’t completely abandon the idea of sports betting and gambling. Many local operators offer sports betting and other gambling products to Malaysian punters. Their offer is, most of the time, poor, and not all of them play by the rules. Therefore, finding international bookies accepting punters from Malaysia and supporting the MYR currency is the real solution for punters in the region. That’s why we give you a complete list of online gambling Malaysia websites after handpicking the best of them.

Best Bookies in Malaysia for 2024

Since we’re all about providing complete information, we’re sharing with you the list of criteria applied when selecting the bookmakers in our list. As you’ll soon find out, it’s not just about odds and betting markets. All aspects of betting, like live betting, Malay language and diversity of payment options, were also taken into consideration.

Online Gambling Malaysia - 5 Things to Know

• 1
  The gambling laws that are in effect today date from 1953, when the Betting Act and the Common Gaming Houses Act were adopted
• 2
  Despite betting being considered illegal, over 20% of adult citizens are wagering on a weekly basis
• 3
  Horse racing and lotteries are the only legal gambling forms in Malaysia
• 4
  The legal betting age is 21 in all land-based betting shops and casinos
• 5
  Winnings from betting and gambling are not taxed

General info

⏩Population: 32.772.100

⏩Active Players: 6.500.000

⏩Currency: MYR - Malaysian Ringgit

⏩Regulated Gambling Products: Games of Skill [Rummy, Chess], Horse Racing, Lottery

⏩Operator types: Land-based betting shops for horse racing at the tracks, unlicensed online bookies operating within the country

⏩Designated Authority: Malaysian government

⏩Status: Closed market, no licenses for online bookies are issued

Malay Odds & Asian Handicaps

The first thing that a good Malaysia-facing online bookie should deliver is Malay odds. This is one of the Asian betting odds types which are different from the decimal ones through the way they are represented. If a team has a 50% chance of winning, the odds are 1.00.

You then get positive Malay odds for a winning chance of over 50% - betting on the favourites, and negative ones for anything that is under 50% - betting on the underdog. Check, for example, the following odds format table:

Asian handicaps are another characteristic of top Malaysian betting websites. These betting markets are very popular among local punters so you will find a lot of Asian Handicap lines on the most popular leagues like Premier League or La Liga.

Variety of Markets on Malaysian Sports & Leagues

Besides the sports that are popular at an international level, bookies that want to strive in Malaysia need to focus on some of the domestic sports as well. Sepak takraw is the national sport in Malaysia, and bookies such as Melbet or 1xBet offer generous bets on this sport.

Cockfights are also quite popular. However, that’s mostly a line you will find at illegal bookmakers. Moreover, you can bet live on your favorite STL team or take full advantage of the various Liga Premier matches on offer.

Payments and Banks Used in the Region

Even if there are no steps being made towards regulating the market or updating the law for online gambling, the Malaysian authorities applied some restrictions when it comes to payment methods.

Most cards issued by local banks can’t be used for topping up your online betting account. The same for choosing bank transfer options for cashing out. The best way is to deposit through Help2Pay, Paytrust88 or Cryptos.

Malay Website

Even though most Malaysian punters speak English as well, getting a localized betting experience is always a plus. Online bookmakers like 1xBet, 22Bet or BetWinner translated their websites into Malaysian for an even more comfortable experience.

Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) Accepting Bookmakers

Being able to place bets in your local currency is not just about the bookmaker adding a nice touch to the entire betting process. It’s also a worry you can scrap of the list since you won’t be dealing with currency exchange fees and constantly calculating your deposit amounts. Here’s the complete list of bookmakers offering MYR currency.

Online Betting in Malaysia: The Gambling Law Framework

It’s quite hard to talk about a gambling law framework when the only laws regarding gambling are over 60 years old in Malaysia. One of them is the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, and The Betting Act is the other one. These two laws deem all gambling activities illegal within the country.

There is no official regulatory body for gambling in any of its forms, and the minimum age for participating in sports betting is 21. However, The Racing Act of 1961 made horse racing legal at the race tracks. There are three race tracks in Malaysia where punters can support their favorite horses and jockeys.

The good news about this lack of regulation when it comes to betting is that the winnings are not taxed in Malaysia. Some other good news comes from the punters not risking any legal repercussions if found using international betting sites.

Offline vs Online Betting in Malaysia

For those looking for land-based betting in Malaysia, the only form of betting is at the three racetracks in the country. We’ve checked all the venues taking horse racing bets and the best online bookies. And since we’re always focused on offering complete information for our readers, we’ve analyzed the local illegal sites as well.

Malaysian Turf Clubs

Malaysia has three horse racetracks where betting on horse racing is accepted at licensed bookies. The three are the Penang Turf Club in Penang, the Perak Turf Club, and the Selangor Turf Club in Kuala Lumpur.

All three of them offer a generous range of bets on horse racing. However, you will have to take into consideration the entry fee between MYR 5.70 and MYR 7, as well as having to go to the track in order to place a bet. And while Selangor Turf Club also accepts bets at off-site locations like the Kelab Rekreasi Honey Line or the Bingo Sound Sdn Bhd, you still need to travel there physically.

The lack of any bonuses for the bets you place is also a downside of racetrack betting when compared to an international online bookie.

Online Sportsbook Malaysia - What are Your Options

After covering the land-based offer available to Malaysian punters, let’s check out and see if the online environment is more appealing. Here, you will be able to enjoy international online betting sites and local illegal bookies.

Right from the start, it should be clear that the difference between international bookies and the local illegal ones is the way they operate. The local ones are usually working with agents and credit, so there’s a big risk you won’t get your winnings or you accumulate huge debts since you don’t have to pay before you bet.

Trusted International Betting Sites

Compared to land-based venues, international betting sites allow you to bet on other sports apart from horse racing. Football, basketball, rugby, cricket and even the national sport of Sepak takraw - 1xBet and Melbet. Each of these sports comes with a vibrant offer of betting markets for both pre-match and in-play bets.

Most of the Malaysia online betting sites are licensed by a trustworthy authority so the risks you’re taking are considerably lower compared to local sites. The bonuses you get when making a deposit or placing certain bets are also a big plus that Malaysia online gambling brings compared to both offline alternatives and illegal sites.

Illegal Sportsbooks

Since the authorities show a very strict attitude towards online betting, a lot of illegal online websites started to appear. They take advantage of the Malaysian punters’ desire to wager on their favourite sports and teams and turn to scams when it comes to paying winnings or validating a winning betting slip.

✅ 23acemy - despite the fact they got a PAGCOR license and put a lot of effort into building the website and platform, 23acemy built quite a negative reputation among punters. The specialized forums contain several complaints of unpaid withdrawals with no justification.

✅ Bet88 - mybet888 or my bet 88, is basically the same company that runs under multiple websites to try and reach as many punters as possible. They promise huge sign-up bonuses to make new punters deposit, and then they don’t honour the bonuses or apply ridiculous wagering requirements on them.

✅ wClub365 - trying to rip off bet365, this website doesn’t even try to look legit. Of course, with so many punters looking to place online bets, these sites still enjoy a bit of success. However, with proper advertisement of the trusted international bookies, they will slowly disappear.

✅ GDBet333 - the same approach as before. It’s enough to do a quick Google search, and you will find plenty of negative reviews from players who had a terrible experience with these guys.

✅ Royal36 - another one of the Malaysia illegal online betting websites that at least tried to get a license. However, it looks like that doesn’t prevent them from canceling winnings and accounts based on abusive Terms and Conditions clauses.

✅ Rrich88 - another branch of the bet888 or mybet88 brands, this illegal bookmaker enjoys the same negative publicity among local punters.

✅ MYLVKING - just one look at this website, and you will be able to tell there’s something wrong. The live-chat welcoming message in English doesn’t make any sense, the website is all cluttered and disorganized. All the signs indicate that you should stay away.

Malaysian Online Bookmakers - How to Deposit & Cash Out

With all the restrictions in place, deposits from your bank account to e-wallets such as Skrill or Neteller may not get processed. Especially if you indicate that the funds are destined for gambling. When it comes to local payment methods, EeziePay, Paytrust88 and Help2Pay are the most popular.

1xBet, 22Bet and BetWinner support Paytrust88 payments, and you can use the method with all the big banks in Malaysia - Maybank, Hong Leong Bank, Public Bank, RHB, CIMB, HSBC or BSN. There are no fees applied to bank transfers. However, you should be aware that you can encounter issues on some transfers if the bank checks where the money comes from.

For a 100% trouble-free online betting experience at online bookies, cryptocurrency deposits and withdrawals is the best way to go. There are plenty of bookmakers on our list accepting cryptocurrency payments.

Regulatory Gambling Landscape of Neighboring Countries

Those with an interest in online betting can benefit from examining the gambling regulations in neighbouring countries. Despite the close geolocation, they have different sets of rules governing gambling activities. Comprehending them can assist you in making informed decisions. Let's see some of them: 

⏩ Thailand: With a few exceptions, like lottery or horse racing, gambling in the country is generally prohibited. Online gambling is also technically, illegal. Nonetheless, there are a lot of Thailand betting sites that welcome local players. 

⏩ Indonesia: Much like Thailand, gambling is also prohibited in Indonesia. This applies to land-based casinos and online sportsbooks. However, international Indonesian betting sites still accept registrations and even provide their services in the local currency. 

⏩ Singapore: Unlike the other two, gambling in Singapore is fully regulated. This is since 2014, went the Remote Gambling Act came into effect. Users are free to access both international and local Singapore bookies and play there with no restrictions. 

Malaysia Online Betting - How Does the Future Look Like?

After many raids against illegal betting operations have taken place within the country, starting in 2019, Malaysia is concerned that illegal gambling has already turned into an epidemic. As a result, back in July, Malaysia's Home Minister declared that the gambling laws need to be updated and brought in the current century.

Talks between lawmakers and the Communication and Multimedia Commission, Bank Negara Malaysia and The Finance Ministry already took place in May to formulate a plan of attack. Acknowledging the need for change could be a first beneficial step for the online betting landscape in Malaysia, but it’s hard to predict how things are going to change.