Mahathir had publicly support the move of awarding the football betting license to Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd. Mahathir says that this could legalise the industry and increase the government revenue.
It's true. Whenever there is football there is gambling, illegal bookies are all around. You can't stop the people's from gambling, it's their right. And if they are in trouble of Ah Long (loan shark) for borrowing moneys to gamble, we could'nt do anything, that is their rights and their choice.
In Malaysia, the majority was Muslim, and Yes Muslim was prohibited for gambling. Then there are rules that prohibited Muslim to gamble on the football. So, basically there are not problem since the betting will only allowed and open to Non-Muslim.
Besides, No-One and Nobody in this world can be forced to gamble. Don't you think that the bookies or operators will use a gun pointed on your head to force you to gamble. If this does happen then it's equal to rob.
There is a chinese idiom stated "老牛不喝水, 不能强按头" means (You can take a horse to the water, but you can't make him to drink). A person cannot be forced what he does'nt want to. The most is the people's are just encouraged of having such facility (betting centre), furthermore gambling companies/operators are not allowed to advertise gambling in Malaysia, thus this may not directly encouraging them.
