The Hong Kong Government is considering feedback from stakeholders on the proposed regulation of basketball betting.
After reviewing the proposal submitted by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and a range of issues relating to illegal basketball betting, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) is proposing establishing a regulatory regime for basketball betting which would be similar to the existing regime for football betting.
Through amending the Betting Duty Ordinance (Cap. 108), the Secretary for HYAB will be granted the power to issue a licence for basketball betting to HKJC, and to impose licensing conditions to minimise the negative impact of gambling on the public, especially on young people.
By mirroring the regulatory regime on football betting, major licensing conditions of the proposed regulation of basketball betting activities include a fixed duration to be set on the licensing period and restrictions imposed on the number of bet types and classes of competitions.
In addition, HKJC will not be able to accept bets on basketball matches involving Hong Kong teams and/or matches that take places in Hong Kong, while no bets can be accepted from juveniles or from credit betting.
HKJC will also have to display notices reminding the public of the seriousness of the problems caused by excessive gambling, and provide information on the services available for those with gambling disorder.
“As a matter of policy, the government does not encourage gambling,” said a spokesman for the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau. “The government adopts a multipronged strategy to address gambling-related issues, combining regulation of gambling activities through legislation, law enforcement against illegal gambling, public education and publicity on the harms of gambling addiction, and provision of counselling and support services to people in need.
“There is, however, undeniably an actual and persistent demand for gambling in Hong Kong which, if left unregulated, would likely give rise to illegal gambling activities and associated social problems and other criminal activities. As such, the government adopts a pragmatic approach by allowing only a limited number of authorised gambling outlets, which includes authorising the HKJC to conduct horse race betting, Mark Six Lottery and football betting in accordance with the Betting Duty Ordinance (Cap. 108).”
According to the latest assessment of the HKJC, turnover from illegal basketball betting was between HK$70 billion (€8.18 billion) and HK$90 billion (€10.5 billion) in 2024.
The government welcomes views from members of the public on the consultation, which closes on Friday 2 May.
The Hong Kong government has also confirmed that it has renewed HKJC’s football betting licence for a further five years, with effect from 18 July. The conditions under the existing regime will remain largely the same.
Since football betting was regulated in 2003, HKJC claims to have diverted back to the legal channel over $1,581 billion of turnover, and generated over $116 billion in betting duties.