Polly Ng Po-yu has cast aside her karaoke microphone for a more traditional form of entertainment - mahjong. The IT assistant is among a growing number of young Hongkongers flocking to clubs for fun nights on the tiles.
Mahjong clubs offer a great way to socialise with colleagues, says 26-year-old Ng. 'It's better than karaoke because not only is it cheaper, it's also more fun as you play together. In karaoke, only one person gets to sing and other people can be quite bored,' she says.
The new generation of venues is casting off the seedy image associated with old-style mahjong parlours. While gamblers frequent the city's 66 licensed parlours that operate from noon to midnight, office workers, students and families can enjoy round-the-clock social games, meals and karaoke-box comforts at 300 mahjong clubs. Mostly based in Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok, the clubs provide clean, comfortable private rooms with en suite bathroom, TV and plenty of food and drink. Admission is restricted to people above 18.
Such venues have mushroomed in response to a demand for hassle-free mahjong entertainment, says Alex Ko Kin-luen, chairman of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Mahjong Shops Association.
Increasing numbers of mahjong lovers are willing to go out and spend money in the economic boom, he says, but 'these clubs are for socialising rather than gambling, so they're very different from mahjong parlours'.
Mahjong clubs are licensed as recreational outlets under the Clubs Ordinance in the same way as karaoke bars and internet cafes. While mahjong parlours are legal gambling venues that make money by taking a cut from customers' winnings, the clubs simply provide mahjong tables, tiles and chips.