{
  "id": 628887,
  "title": "Kedah fails to overturn ruling against refusal to renew pool betting, lottery licences",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/kedah-fails-to-overturn-ruling-against-refusal-to-renew-pool-betting",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-12T03:59:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/08/12/kedah-fails-to-overturn-ruling-against-refusal-to-renew-pool-betting-lottery-licences/231045"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "PUTRAJAYA, Aug 12 — The Kedah government has lost its bid to challenge a decision that prevents it from declining to renew licenses for pool betting and lottery operators. According to Free Malaysia Today (FMT), a Federal Court panel, led by Justice Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang, found that the legal inquiries raised by the state government did not meet the necessary criteria for judicial consideration. Justices Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah and Datuk Azmi Ariffin presided over the proceedings alongside Rhodzariah. The issues at hand involved determining the constitutionality of the state government's decisions and the extent of the state's authority under the Federal Constitution. The court also mandated the Kedah government to cover RM50,000 in legal costs. Earlier this year, the Court of Appeal delivered a majority verdict, stating that the Kedah government's decision to deny license renewals to several pool betting agents, their affiliated entities, and their personnel was unlawful. The Court of Appeal affirmed that issues related to pool betting and lotteries were under the jurisdiction of the Finance Ministry. The court also ruled that denying the operators' premises licenses constituted an infringement of the Finance Minister's authority and imposed a statewide ban on pool betting and lotteries. FMT reported that the court cautioned the state government that its jurisdiction was limited to matters outlined in the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution and the Local Government Act 1976. Justice Faizah Jamaluddin emphasized that the refusal to issue and renew business licenses was a policy disagreement with betting and lotteries, rather than a concern about the physical premises involved. She noted that the licenses granted by the Finance Minister were subject to specific federal conditions, such as the inclusion of a disclaimer on betting tickets regarding the prohibition of gambling for Muslims. Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, Azizah Nawawi, disagreed with the majority, asserting that the Kedah executive council's decision fell within its legal jurisdiction under the Local Government Act and suggesting that the courts should not interfere. The report noted that lawyer Azhar Harun represented the state government, while Brian Foong, Hiqmar Danial Hidzir, and Eolanda Yeo acted on behalf of the pool betting agents, companies, and officers.",
  "summary": "PUTRAJAYA, Aug 12 — The Kedah government has failed to overturn a ruling that barred it from refusing to ren...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Apex court upholds ruling against Kedah govt’s pool betting, lottery ban",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/apex-court-upholds-ruling-against-kedah-govts-pool-betting-lottery-ban",
        "published": "2026-08-12T02:50:20.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Kedah fails to overturn ruling against refusal to renew pool betting, lottery licences",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/kedah-fails-to-overturn-ruling-against-refusal-to-renew-pool-betting-629531",
        "published": "2026-08-12T03:59:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malaysiakini",
        "title": "Federal Court upholds ruling quashing Kedah gambling outlet ban",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/federal-court-upholds-ruling-quashing-kedah-gambling-outlet-ban",
        "published": "2026-08-12T05:41:34.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}