Police in Malaysia arrest dozens in suspected World Cup betting syndicate

• During the World Cup, Malaysia continues to monitor illegal gambling activities
• In a new operation against illegal betting, officers with the Kuala Lumpur Police took down a World Cup betting syndicate that has been operating for nearly one month
• 32 Chinese nationals, between the ages of 20 and 40 were arrested

An alleged World Cup online football betting syndicate was taken down by law enforcement and resulted in the arrest of dozens of suspects in Malaysia.

Dozens of Chinese nationals arrested

The arrests in Kuala Lumpur follow an investigation by local police which identified that the betting syndicate operated for nearly a month during the World Cup.

As announced by the local media outlet, Gutzy Asia, the takedown of the illegal gambling syndicate comes after a football betting website called 6288.com was flagged.

The authorities discovered that the group behind the gambling website used an office unit in a Kuala Lumpur suburb to run the football betting syndicate, as described by Datuk Fadil Marsus, the Chief of the Kuala Lumpur Police.

Marsus explained that the World Cup football betting ring has been operating for three weeks before it was taken down on the early morning hours on July 1, 2026.

At the time, officers with the Kuala Lumpur Police raided the location and arrested a total of 32 Chinese nationals, between the ages of 20 and 40, suspected of being involved in the illegal online football betting syndicate.

Reportedly, the majority of the suspects are men, 29, while the other three, are women.

Besides the arrests, law enforcement found and seized smartphones, computers and other electronic equipment that was used for the operation of the illegal betting ring.

Suspects are facing serious charges

Police did not confirm how many individuals used the betting syndicate and what revenue it was able to generate since its launch.

It is also unclear whether or not the World Cup football betting syndicate operated locally, or targeted customers overseas.

Still, the suspects are facing serious charges under Malaysia’s laws for unlawful entry or lack of valid travel documents, operating or facilitating unlawful betting activities and managing or assisting the management of a gambling operation.

If found guilty on all charges, each of the suspects may be facing years behind bars, thousands of dollars in fines, as well as asset forfeiture and immigration-related penalties.

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