Chinese nationals arrested in Kuala Lumpur over illegal gambling

• Malaysian police recently took down a suspected illegal gambling syndicate operating out of Kuala Lumpur
• Following a raid late last week, 11 Chinese nationals, suspected of being involved in the illegal gambling operation, were detained
• The illegal gambling syndicate targeted players overseas and used WhatsApp and Telegram to promote its services and communicate

An operation against illegal online gambling in Malaysia resulted in the arrest of nearly a dozen suspects.

A police raid, completed late last week in Kuala Lumpur, resulted in the arrest of a total of 11 Chinese nationals, suspected of ties to an illegal online gambling syndicate.

The illegal gambling ring sought victims overseas

Law enforcement conducted an operation along a major road in downtown Kuala Lumpur, Jalan P. Ramlee.

The raid follows a two-week surveillance operation, which culminated in the arrest of the suspects.

While the identities of the detainees were not publicly confirmed, what's known is that they are between the ages of 20 and 40, and all of them are Chinese nationals.

Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, the Director-General of the Immigration Department, confirmed in an interview for The Star, that the police operation in Kuala Lumpur was completed on October 9, 2025.

"Their modus operandi included using luxury residences as bases for online gambling activities," he said.

Shaaban acknowledged that the illegal online gambling ring targeted overseas players and used WhatsApp and Telegram to communicate with their victims and promote their services.

"All suspects were brought to the Immigration Department headquarters for further action," Shaaban said in conclusion.

Police did not confirm what role each of the suspects held or whether cash, expensive items or other valuables were seized during the raid.

In Malaysia, the penalty for a person found guilty of illegal gambling can include a fine, as well as a minimum jail sentence of six months.

However, cases of cross-border gambling often involve other serious charges, such as money laundering, for example.

If extradited to China and found guilty of participating in an illegal gambling operation, the suspects may face hefty fines as well as imprisonment.

Image credit: Pixabay.com