Issues before the courts in the dispute over the issuance and renewal of business licences for pool betting operators in Kedah — Hafiz Hassan

The dispute over the issuance and renewal of business licenses for pool betting operators in Kedah has several key points. The government of Kedah and the Menteri Besar, who headed the state Exco, were the appellants, while the respondents included pool betting operators, agents, premises operators, and affected individuals. The state government decided not to renew business premises licenses for federally licensed pool betting operations in Kedah, effective December 31, 2022.

The respondents received letters from local authorities stating that the Minister of Finance would not consider renewing gambling licences in Kedah for 2023, as they fell under the Minister's jurisdiction. The Minister of Finance actually renewed the relevant PBA licences for 2023, causing the respondents to apply for renewal of their local business premises licences, which were denied.

As a result, federally licensed pool betting businesses could no longer operate in Kedah. The respondents then filed a judicial review, and the High Court declared that the decision to cease renewals was illegal and unconstitutional, and ordered damages to be assessed.