Sports Betting Sites Malaysia 2025

Best Betting Sites for Malaysian Players Rated by Industry Experts

There are two main reasons why we consider that at AskGamblers, we’re perfectly positioned to help you choose from one of the best sports betting sites in Malaysia. 

The first is that we know online sports betting inside out. We know what makes a good sportsbook and what doesn’t, which bonuses are valuable and how to get the best out of them. We always know the latest news affecting the betting industry and everything else that’s part and parcel of online betting. This knowledge comes from years of experience and listening to and understanding customers. 

Second, we understand that customers from different countries have very different requirements. A UK-based customer wanting to bet on sports like rugby, snooker or cricket and on the full range of betting markets and wanting to benefit from such things as Best Odds Guaranteed is one thing. A Malaysian player who is far more interested in football and badminton and may not be so concerned with extravagant bets or bonuses is quite another. 

In other words, a deep knowledge of the specific requirements and preferences of bettors from particular geographical markets is essential rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, which clearly doesn’t take into account that not all sports gamblers are the same.

How We Rate Malaysian Betting Sites

Much like analysing a big football or cricket match, there are probably as many as 20-30 different factors to take into account when it comes to deciding just how good a sportsbook is.

For example, although finding a betting market as quickly as possible (especially when it’s in an in-play match) is important, maybe it’s not quite as important as the safety of the site, the promotions they run, or the number of sports offered. 

Here are some of the factors we look into when reviewing sports betting sites:

• Sportsbook’s licence: Holding a valid betting licence means the operator has proved they’re a serious company. And just as easily as they can be granted a licence, they can also lose it just as quickly if they don’t act as they should, as per the terms of their licence.
• Reputation: Our assessment of a site's reputation depends on two considerations. Firstly, we look into the frequency of a sportsbook's appearance in our Customer Complaints Section, scrutinising the nature and resolution of complaints to ensure customer satisfaction. Next, we turn to player reviews, similar to our own evaluations, extracting insights from users’ feedback.
• Security: A betting company's credibility rests on its commitment to robust security measures. Leading betting sites prioritise the protection of funds and personal information, employing essential certifications and advanced protective software similar to banking encryption standards. Whether expediting withdrawal processes or conducting thorough Know Your Customer (KYC) checks, every facet of security contributes to establishing a dependable and trustworthy betting website. 
• Betting bonuses and promotions: A far more fun aspect of online betting is, of course, bonuses. A generous welcome offer that gives you extra funds or free bets when you make your first deposit is a good starting point. But it’s also extremely important that the bonuses and promotions don’t end there. Operators with free bets, money-back offers, and other promos get extra brownie points. This is particularly the case when offers are frequent, imaginative and have low wagering requirements.
• Number of sports/markets: When reviewing how good a site is for that particular geographic market, we look at whether it offers all the favourite sports in that country. In addition to that, a good combination of the core sports that most people enjoy around the world and a few niche ones qualifies as a good offer. Additionally, the site has to be sensitive to the favourite betting markets within those sports. 
• Payment options: The more payment options Malaysia betting sites have, the better. But just like with the sports offered, they need to be ones that customers in that market regularly use and want to use for the purposes of online betting.
• Betting odds: A sports betting site can have all the frills, such as lots of livestreaming, great betting bonuses and dozens of different sports to bet on, but for the serious gambler, the generosity of their odds is arguably the greatest consideration of all. If every time you’re betting on (what should be) a 2.0 chance, at odds of just 1.85 instead, you’re seriously going to struggle to turn over a long-term profit. So, the site in question must be at least in line with its competitors and, preferably, offering better odds than the others on a regular basis
• Customer support: Another often underrated yet crucial element of the best betting sites Malaysia is the effectiveness of their Customer Support team. Customer service should be available via several communication methods, such as phone, live chat, e-mail, and social media. In addition to being easily reachable, customer service agents also need to be knowledgeable, polite, and, above all, efficient when dealing with your queries.  

How to Choose a Top Malaysian Betting Site Based on Your Betting Preferences

Obvious examples of good betting sites are those that offer the sports you most enjoy betting on, have bonuses that are right up your street, or accept your favourite payment methods. 

But there are other, less obvious considerations. Whereas most European countries use decimal (or occasionally fractional odds) and in the US they use American odds, in Malaysia, customers are used to…Malay odds.  

So, whereas in decimal odds you’d express it as 1.3, in Malay odds, that would be 0.3 instead. A small, subtle difference, but an important one if you’re used to betting in that way. So, it may be an important consideration for you. 

A good exercise is to list the six or seven factors that are most important to you personally when choosing a betting site and then see how we rated each of those in our reviews. If most of them get pretty good marks, then that site might be a good match for you. 

How Sports Betting Is Regulated in Malaysia

First things first: betting was introduced to Malaysia by the Chinese. 

The country has a dual system of law, which means there are different sets of laws depending on your religion. So, there are laws for everyone, but then there are strict Sharia Laws, which affect the Muslim Malaysians, who make up about 60% of the country. 

Similar to New Zealand, the country has only one piece of legislation regarding betting, and it’s extremely outdated: the Betting Act of 1953. It states that though lotteries, betting on horse racing, and some land casinos are all legal, sports betting outside of horse racing is not. 

Back in 2010, steps were taken to allow a company called Ascot Sports to be granted the first-ever betting license from the Malaysian government and thus become the first legal Malaysian betting site. 

Confronted by serious opposition, this never went ahead, and the rules remain that a sports betting site is not allowed to operate within Malaysia, nor will an offshore one be granted a betting licence from Malaysia. 

This means that to this day, sports betting sites are strictly speaking illegal. But then again, like in many other countries, that doesn’t mean that Malaysians can’t bet with foreign sites. 

This is good news for them because a rich history of gambling in the country and a love of sports mean there’s certainly plenty of demand from Malaysian gamblers, while providing a great opportunity for the best Malaysia betting sites to accept plenty of customers.

At the time of writing, the Malaysian government seems far more concerned with banning gambling houses and those who organise illegal betting than punishing those who bet at foreign sites. Though it may be frowned upon to bet on them, it’s highly unlikely that there will be fines or worse if you are caught doing so. 

So even though there are separate Sharia Laws, they don’t seem to make much difference to the regular ones, as online sports betting is, as we’ve seen, illegal on paper but a common practice.

How Often Do We Add Malaysian Betting Sites?

You’ll already find a good supply of recommended Malaysian sites to choose from here at AskGamblers. 

As just discussed, at the time of writing, there’s no such thing as Malaysian betting sites being granted a local licence, so that’s not what we’re waiting to see happen. Instead, we’re monitoring overseas betting sites from any country in possession of a valid betting licence elsewhere that starts accepting Malaysian customers. 

But that, of course, is just the first step. Once we’re aware of them, we’ll go through our usual meticulous process of reviewing the site, rating them, and seeing how many of them make it onto our list of best betting sites in Malaysia. 

So, it’s not so much a case of there being a specific number of sites we add to the list every month or so, but rather waiting and seeing how things unfold and then acting accordingly. 

Most Popular Payment Options for Sports Betting in Malaysia

The best betting sites Malaysia look to offer as many payment options as possible to give customers as much choice as they can when it comes to depositing and withdrawing money. Here are some of the more popular payment options. 

• Mastercard: Recognised for its credit and debit services, Mastercard is a trusted and user-friendly option offered by all the top-tier betting platforms. Known for swift transaction processing, it enables users to access real-time financing, seizing time-sensitive opportunities without delays. Its widespread usage adds an extra advantage, as many individuals already possess it for various purposes, eliminating the need to obtain a specific card for betting activities. 
• Visa: A lot of what we just said about Mastercard also applies to Visa. A globally recognised credit and debit card provider, it extends beyond betting to daily use, covering groceries, flights, and more. Renowned for efficient payment processing and overall security, Visa operates swiftly. However, users must remain vigilant about potential transaction fees, especially for substantial amounts, where fees may be a percentage of the total. 
• Skrill: The company formerly known as Moneybookers has emerged as a premier selection for worldwide online betting enthusiasts, with a distinct preference among Malaysian customers. Valued for its intuitive interface, stringent security protocols, and widespread acceptance among online sportsbooks, Skrill ensures speedy, uncomplicated, and secure transactions.
• Neteller:  Like Skrill, it’s very much a digital wallet whose popularity is on the up. Gaining favour among Malaysian online betting enthusiasts, this e-wallet's popularity soars thanks to its cutting-edge encryption, securing transactions and prioritising user privacy. Serving as a reliable fortress, it ensures safe and private dealings. Another advantage lies in its consistent availability, offering a dependable option for deposits and withdrawals. 
• Bitcoin: Bitcoin is increasingly favoured as a decentralised, secure payment option at Malaysia online betting sites. Bitcoin transactions prioritise enhanced privacy and faster processing times by capitalising on blockchain technology. Users value the anonymity it affords, especially those seeking privacy in financial transactions. While not universally adopted, Bitcoin's popularity is on the rise, just as is the case with other cryptocurrencies.

Other lesser-popular payment options available to Malaysian customers at betting sites include MyPay88, which can be linked to TouchnGo, Grab Pay and Boost Pay, while PayPal is also used, though not to the same extent as in other countries. 

Most Popular Sports Betting Competitions and Sports in Malaysia

Malaysia may not be the first country to come to mind when it comes to football. After all, they’ve never even been to a World Cup. But that hasn’t stopped them from being one of the most football-mad countries when it comes to betting on it. But it’s not the only sport of interest to them. 

• Football: As is the case in so many other countries, the Premier League is the one they love the most, but the other top leagues in Spain, Italy, and Germany are popular, too, as is their 14-team Malaysia Super League. The Champions League and Europa Leagues are well-followed, as well as the Asian Champions League, despite very limited success for Malaysian clubs taking part in it.
• Cricket: Another example of a lack of success of their national side not affecting their love of a particular sport. There are over 1.6 million Indians in the country, so that might explain the considerable interest in cricket. As is often the case, the Indian Premier League is the biggest event on the calendar in terms of domestic competitions in Malaysia, while all forms of international cricket are also popular to bet on, particularly when India is in action. 
• Badminton: Malaysia is very often ranked in the Top 8 in the world in men’s doubles (a bit lower in women’s doubles) and regularly has men’s players ranked in the Top 20 in singles, as well. They've won plenty of bronze medals over the years in the Asian Games and lots of golds in the Commonwealth Games, with only Great Britain winning more in total.  Both these events are popular to watch on TV and bet on, as are the Thomas and Uber Cups. 
• Horse racing: We already said that horse racing was the only legal form of betting, and as a result of that, there are tracks in the country where bookies operate trackside, much like they do in the UK, US or anywhere else. But Malaysians’ love of racing means they also do so online, both on local and overseas races.  
• Esports betting: Like many other big Asian countries, esports betting has arguably been the fastest-growing sport for people to bet on in Malaysia over the last few years. Big matches played across the likes of Dota 2, League of Legends and Counter-Strike Global Offensive are watched all over the country, mostly via streaming, with many of those viewers also betting on the games.

Future of Online Sports Betting Sites in Malaysia

Malaysia and gambling go a long way back, and the creation of the internet opened many doors to Malaysian sports betting enthusiasts, who were starved of legally betting on any sport other than horse racing. 

The arguments for regulation are mostly the same as for any other country. The government would benefit from huge sums of tax revenue from both local and overseas operators, which could then be used for charitable causes, education programs, and the treatment of players with gambling problems, to name but a few initiatives.  

Regulation would also make life easier and more secure for customers with proper age checks, KYCs, and other steps taken to make sure everything is above board in a safe environment. Customers would also have greater protection when it came to such things as disputes with the operator, particularly when it comes to paying out the winning bets. 

But though this is all good in theory, not much has been done in practical terms so far. We really just have to wait and see what the government decides to do next. Meanwhile, you’re free to carry on betting at the best Malaysia betting sites.