Hong Kong should use basketball gambling revenue to fund sports: think tank
Government already holding public consultation on regulation push, with NGO saying some earnings can be used to boost counselling for gambling addicts
Hong Kong authorities should use the revenue garnered from the coming legalisation of basketball betting to set up a fund for sports development, a think tank has suggested, while an NGO has proposed using some of the money to boost counselling services for gambling addicts.
Our Hong Kong Foundation, the city’s largest think tank, on Friday urged the government to inject revenue from basketball gambling into a new fund for improving community sports facilities, training professional athletes and hosting international tournaments.
“We should utilise the additional profits to give back to society, especially in terms of public investment,” Josselyn Chau, the foundation’s research manager, said.
She suggested that 40 per cent of the revenue could go towards renovating community sports venues and 30 per cent to hiring international coaches who could offer better training for athletes.
The remaining 30 per cent could be used to explore more opportunities to host international games in Hong Kong, Chau said.
Her suggestion followed the launch of a public consultation on the legalisation of basketball betting by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau on Wednesday, which said it would adopt “a pragmatic approach” by allowing a limited number of authorised gambling outlets.