Crack down on influencers promoting illegal gambling

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PETALING JAYA: By the second quarter of 2024, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will launch an operation against social media influencers promoting illegal online gambling.

Its spokesman told theSun MCMC is monitoring the situation and will address the issue through collaboration with police and social media platforms.

“We are finalising the takedown procedures with major social media platforms and will take concrete steps to nab the culprits by the second quarter of 2024, at the latest.”

He was responding to concerns raised on X over suspicion that a 19-year-old influencer who showed off a newly purchased luxury car was involved in gambling activities.

It was later discovered that she and several other influencers were promoting online gambling using several “gaming” apps.

“Online gambling apps are often masked as ‘money-making games’ and have become more popular as social media influencers showcase their earnings,” the spokesman said.

“These influencers also promote the apps to attract unsuspecting users with the promise of doubling or tripling their earnings.”

He stressed that MCMC is committed to exploring cooperation to improve detection, reporting and takedown processes for influencer-promoted online gambling content.

“Online gambling is strictly prohibited under the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, which is enforced by police.

“MCMC takes a zero-tolerance stance against any form of online gambling promotion and actively collaborates with police to combat this illegal activity.”

The spokesman also said MCMC has assisted police in blocking over 1,300 online gambling websites annually since 2018.

“We take a proactive approach to monitoring online spaces, including social media, and are currently identifying social media influencers who are promoting online gambling.

“Beyond blocking websites, we have taken down numerous social media accounts and terminated 523,331 phone lines associated with promoting online gambling and other offences such as unlicensed loans.”

The spokesman said it was difficult to quantify the number of social media influencers promoting online gambling due to the dynamic nature of cyberspace.

“Cases of impersonating social media influencers without their permission have also been observed.

“However, based on our recent tracking, there is a significant number of individuals engaging in this harmful practice on social media platforms and this demands our action.”

The spokesman added that a 2022 study by HypeAuditor found that social media posts by influencers promoting online gambling received an engagement rate of 5.7% compared with an average of 3.5% for posts on other subjects.

“This is a 60% higher engagement and it suggests that the public, especially youths, are potentially more susceptible to gambling as they are impressed by social media influencers.”

The spokesman said reviews and assessments of existing regulations are being carried out to update them, adding that the move would better address the evolving tactics used by illegal gambling operators and influencers.

“We will also launch a nationwide awareness campaign on the dangers of influencer-promoted online gambling.

“It will target potential victims and the influencers themselves.”

According to Section 6(1) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, engaging in “gaming” within a common gaming house constitutes an offence that subjects the offender to a fine of up to RM5,000, a jail term of up to six months or a combination of both.

“Gaming” is comprehensively defined in Section 2 as the playing of any game involving chance or a combination of chance and skill for money or money’s worth.

In 2020, penalties for illegal gamblers and gambling operators underwent a 20-fold increase, from RM5,000 to RM100,000, coupled with the imposition of a minimum jail sentence of six months.