Open your eyes and see the benefits of supporting a responsible Club

Last week's revelations on the extent to which Macau's casino industry is plundering the wallets and purses of mainstream Hongkongers - up to HK$25 billion per year - may have brought gasps of shock and horror, but what is our government going to do about it?

The revelations, made by the Jockey Club through its own research, will be put to the Gaming Commission, a branch of government, in a bid to prove the Jockey Club promotes high-quality racing and sporting entertainment and, yes, responsible gambling is a core activity.

And the Jockey Club is getting more than slightly miffed that it is getting taxed, perhaps not out of existence but to a point of severe discomfort, while getting inappropriately blamed for the social consequences of problem gambling.

In its submission to the Gaming Commission, the Jockey Club will point out that in the last decade losses sustained each year by Hong Kong citizens in Macau have skyrocketed, from HK$4.5 billion to a figure that lies somewhere within the boundaries of HK$18 billion and HK$25 billion.

Within that same timeframe, the total losses of Jockey Club customers each year have only risen around 11 per cent to HK$20 billion, even though they now have soccer and horse racing to choose from on their wagering menu.

The injustice is that despite its incredible success and recognition as a world leader in horse racing, the Jockey Club is weighed down by governmental controls, with strings being pulled by some Legislative Council members who can best be described as single-issue fanatics.