Malaysia to explore broader age checks for online gaming platforms, says Communications Minister

At a post-ceremony briefing, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the Communications and Multimedia Commission will examine extending age-verification requirements to online gaming services, citing worries that extremist actors use such platforms to approach and recruit minors. He referenced a discussion with Roblox that began last year, noting that the platform’s existing age-based account types could serve as a model for broader safeguards.

Former deputy police chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay had recently warned that children as young as 12 are being lured into extremist circles via games like Roblox. The ministry, together with the National Security Council, is monitoring these platforms closely. The briefing also highlighted a RM5.2 billion funding package for Digital Nasional Berhad, intended to bolster the firm’s financial position and support the rollout of 5G, which now reaches 82.4% of the populated areas.