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Ng Kang-chung

Hong Kong lawmakers have urged officials to use a projected HK$1.5 billion (US$193 million) in extra tax revenue from legalising basketball betting to develop local sports, as they gave an initial nod to a government plan to allow gambling on overseas games.
Home affairs minister Alice Mak Mei-kuen on Monday reiterated that the move was not to encourage gambling but rather to regulate basketball betting as a way to claw back up to HK$90 billion in turnover estimated to have been lost to illegal gambling operators.
Mak told a Legislative Council panel meeting that her team was aware of the rising popularity of illegal basketball betting in recent years.
“To combat such illegal activities in an effective manner, we are exploring regulating basketball betting activities,” she said.
“The proposed regulatory regime for basketball betting will be modelled on the existing one for football betting.”
The government is seeking to amend the Betting Duty Ordinance to issue a licence to the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the city’s sole betting operator, to manage basketball gambling.
A few conditions will be attached to the licence, including a ban on bets involving Hong Kong teams and games played locally. Age restrictions will be included and credit betting will not be allowed. The club is also required to promote “responsible gambling” practices.
A one-month public consultation is under way, to close on May 2.
At present, Hong Kong’s gambling laws only allow residents to bet on football, horse racing and the Mark Six lottery.
The government estimated that the regulation push could bring in a projected HK$1.5 billion to HK$2 billion in tax revenue a year.
Lawmaker Benson Luk Hon-man, of Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong, supported the proposed regulatory regime, saying: “The government should use the extra tax revenue collected to develop local sports.”
His views were shared by non-affiliated Reverend Peter Douglas Koon Ho-ming and Edward Lau Kwok-fan of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.
Michael Luk Chung-hung, of the Federation of Trade Unions, said: “There should be a specific trust set up to use the tax revenue to support local basketball development.”

But Connie Lam So-wai, of Professional Power, expressed reservations about the plan, fearing it could attract more people to gamble.
“We should not legalise a form of gambling just for the sake of getting back HK$1.5 billion in tax revenue,” Lam said.
Mak maintained the government policy was against gambling and it would step up public education on the harms and provide support services to those in need.
Deputy Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Nick Auyeung Lik added that the advancement of technology had made illegal online gambling platforms more accessible to the public, so a legalising push was needed.
The club’s research estimated that about 100,000 to 150,000 Hong Kong punters bet illegally on basketball in 2023, up 68 per cent from 2022, with turnover ranging from HK$32 billion to HK$34 billion.
In 2024, the number of illegal basketball bettors soared to about 430,000, with turnover as much as HK$70 billion to HK$90 billion.
Meanwhile, officials also briefed lawmakers on the coming Intangible Cultural Heritage Month festival during Monday’s meeting.
The heritage festival will be held from late May throughout June, coinciding with the national Cultural and Natural Heritage Day designated on the second Saturday of June each year.
Undersecretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Raistlin Lau Chun said a series of citywide activities, including carnivals, district tours, exhibitions, seminars and shows would be among the highlights of the month-long festival, which he estimated could attract 100,000 visitors.


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Hong Kong society

Hong Kong lawmakers have given the initial nod for a government plan to allow bets on overseas games. Photo: AFP

The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the city’s sole betting operator, will be given the rights to manage basketball gambling. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong launches public consultation on legalisation of basketball betting

The NBA’s betting page displayed on a phone at a Hong Kong Jockey Club betting branch in Kwun Tong. The club earlier said it hoped basketball betting would be legalised in the city by September. Photo: Edmond So

An advertisement for the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s eWin app at a betting branch in Sheung Wan. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hong Kong should use basketball gambling revenue to fund sports: think tank

Augusta Yim (left), a counsellor at the Zion Social Service Yuk Lai Hin Counselling Centre, has suggested using some of the tax revenue from basketball gambling to offer counselling services for gambling addiction. Photo: Edmond So

Hong Kong could rake in billions from basketball betting but experts have doubts

A Jockey Club betting branch in Tsim Sha Tsui. The finance chief said the club had estimated illegal basketball betting turnover had reached HK$70 billion to HK$90 billion last year. Photo: Jelly Tse

News

Hong Kong

Society

Government hopes regulating basketball betting will claw back HK$90 billion in turnover lost to illegal gambling operators


Government hopes regulating basketball betting will claw back HK$90 billion in turnover lost to illegal gambling operators.
