Basketball betting is poised to be legalised in Hong Kong after lawmakers voted on Thursday to
approve a bill meant to counter illicit gambling. The measure passed with 77 members in favour, two abstentions and two opposed. It also enjoys broad community support. As the authorities move to issue betting operator licences, they must also follow through on promised efforts to minimise the addiction risks, especially for young people.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po had floated the idea of legalising basketball betting in his February budget speech. The government has proposed a regulatory regime modelled on existing football wagering.
The appeal of a lawful, well-regulated platform is understandable as the city reckons with its HK$80.3 billion (US$10.3 billion)
budget deficit. The move could generate as much as HK$1.5 billion in tax revenue annually. Illegal basketball wagering had an estimated turnover of up to HK$90 billion last year, according to the Hong Kong Jockey Club. The city’s sole legal betting operator told the Legislative Council that about 430,000 Hongkongers bet illegally on basketball last year, compared to 100,000 to 150,000 the previous year.
During Thursday’s Legco meeting, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen described providing legal channels as a way to satisfy public demand for such betting to “prevent them from turning to illegal operators”. But there are concerns about widening access to gambling for inexperienced newcomers. The Post
recently spoke to some already struggling with gambling addiction.
Mak said the government plans to strengthen enforcement and education to target all forms of illegal betting. She also noted that a new centre focusing on young addicts is being set up under the Ping Wo Fund, established by the government in 2003, to finance measures addressing gambling-related problems.
Gambling addiction experts have called for thorough monitoring of the impact of legislation. Detailed data from surveillance should be made readily available.
