Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE starting June 12 2026

Malaysian Muslim ban on Pokemon Go

The mufti of Malaysia's Federal Territories says Pokemon Go is banned to protect Muslims from being corrupted by the game.

Pokemon GO player.
Pokemon GO player. Source: AAP

Islamic authorities in Malaysia have banned Muslims in the country from playing Pokemon Go, the popular augmented reality smartphone game, which became available there on Saturday.

The ban was announced late on Friday by the mufti of Malaysia's Federal Territories, saying the decision was to protect the country's predominantly Muslim population from being corrupted by the game.

The game could lead to the invasion of personal space, addiction, emotional disorders and other problems, the statement said.

Pokemon Go is based on the 1990s computer game Pokemon, updated with the latest technology, which superimposes virtual creatures into real world locations and allows players to view and capture them through their smartphones.


1 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world