SHAH ALAM, May 30 (Bernama) -- The Selangor government will not allow premises in the state to be used for football betting, Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said.

"Although the federal government had issued football betting licence, the state government, via local authorities has the power to stop it.

"The company has to apply for licence from local authorities to operate football betting," he said in a statement here.

Finance Deputy Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung had said the ministry had issued a company licence to operate football betting during World Cup 2010.

Khalid warned local authorities against issuing licence for football betting adding the state government would close premises operating illegal gambling.

He said issuing such licence would not eradicate illegal gambling but would aggravate social problems as the poor would gamble away their hard earned wages.

-- BERNAMA