Hong Kong may quickly legalize betting on basketball. After a short point out within the 2025-26 finances in February, the Hong Kong authorities introduced this week that it’s going to start weighing whether or not so as to add the game to its strict checklist.
Presently, Hong Kong permits for betting on soccer and horse racing. That is managed by the Hong Kong Jockey Membership (HKJC), the one authorized betting entity within the space. A part of the explanation for proposing basketball owes to its recognition within the area and to fight unlawful playing.
In keeping with reviews, unlawful playing rings make properly over HK$70 billion ($9.3 billion) and are estimated to hit as excessive as HK$90 billion ($11.6 billion) on basketball alone final yr.
The CEO of the HKJC, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, stated within the South China Morning Put up:
The proposal is with them and we’ve got to see how they wish to progress it. Will probably be attention-grabbing. Now, they lead, and we are able to solely comply with as a result of it’s a coverage determination. They requested us to present them a proposal, and we did. It’s good that it has been recognised that there’s clearly a major unlawful playing drawback.
Hong Kong companies look to curb playing issues
Whereas Hong Kong’s transfer would put it out of step with mainland China, which has a strict no-gambling coverage. It might deliver it extra consistent with Macau, which is the one location in China that permits for authorized playing.
Nonetheless, Hong Kong’s Residence and Youth Affairs Bureau states that it “doesn’t encourage playing” and is actively working to counteract “gambling-related points” through a “multipronged technique”.
It has additionally stated that it expects to see the next enforced, much like how different sports activities betting is dealt with within the nation:
- A hard and fast length shall be set on the licensing interval
- The Authorities shall impose restrictions on the variety of guess sorts and courses of competitions
- The licensed operator shall not settle for bets on basketball matches involving Hong Kong groups and/or matches that happen in Hong Kong, to advertise a betting-free and wholesome surroundings for the game in Hong Kong
- The licensed operator shall not settle for bets from juveniles
- The licensed operator shall not settle for credit score betting
- The licensed operator shall show notices reminding the general public of the seriousness of the issues brought on by extreme playing, and supply data on the providers obtainable for these with playing dysfunction.
