Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said that at the moment, the home ministry (KDN) and the police were working closely with the attorney-general’s chambers to look into whether there was a need to amend the principal act or to formulate a new preventive law specifically for online gaming activities.

“Special attention should be given to improve online gambling laws because online gambling activities, which can be conducted via smartphones, are becoming rampant right now.”

Zahid said this after attending the National Transformation 2050 (TN50) dialogue at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang, here today.

The dialogue was mediated by Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Zahid said the home ministry, through the police, had also collaborated with the international police (Interpol) and various telecommunication companies to curb online gambling activities based in Macau, Las Vegas and an Asean country, from spreading to Malaysia.

The deputy prime minister said online gambling could result in the collapse of the family institution and the uncontrolled outflow of money.

“We have deported 416 China nationals believed to be involved in the Macau scam syndicate, and efforts are being intensified to investigate 100 other suspects before they are deported to their countries of origin,” he said.

Efforts to combat gambling activities were intensified after Mohamad Fuzi Harun was appointed inspector-general of police, with 5,913 operations mounted nationwide from the date of his appointment on Sept 4 until yesterday.

“Of the total, Selangor and Penang recorded the highest number of raids,” Zahid said.