122 arrested in Hong Kong for alleged illegal gambling
Police seized gambling paraphernalia, liquor and other illegal items worth over HK$500,000 (US$64,000).
Hong Kong.- Police in Hong Kong have arrested 122 people aged between 14 and 67 for alleged involvement in illegal gambling in Yuen Long. Those arrested include alleged core members of triad societies. Police said a series of raids was carried out after a two-week operation. They said they seized illegal items worth over HK$500,000 (US$64,000).
Those arrested have been charged with offences including operating illegal gambling establishments, drug trafficking, running unlicensed bars and money laundering. According to officers, the illegal gambling venues were disguised as industrial buildings and “three-nil” buildings. The premises were equipped with CCTV cameras and, in some cases, soundproofing. Entry was restricted to regular customers or those referred by trusted sources.
Consultation launched on proposed legalisation of basketball betting in Hong Kong
The government of Hong Kong has launched a consultation on the proposal submitted by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) to regulate basketball betting. The proposed framework would be modelled on existing football betting regulations.
Amendments to the Betting Duty Ordinance (Cap. 108) would be introduced to grant the secretary for home and youth affairs the authority to issue a licence for basketball betting to the HKJC.
Key conditions of the proposed framework include a fixed duration for the licence period, restrictions on the types of bets and classes of competitions allowed and a prohibition on betting on matches involving Hong Kong teams or taking place in Hong Kong.
Bets would not be allowed on credit, and licensed operators would have to display notices about excessive gambling and support services.
According to the HKJC’s estimates, the turnover of illegal basketball betting reached around HK$70bn (US$9bn) to HK$90bn (US$11.6bn) last year. During discussions on the 2025-26 budget, Chan Chun-ying, chairman of the Legislative Council’s Finance Committee, said that adding basketball betting to regulated offerings could generate over NT$1bn (US$30.5m) in annual revenue from gambling tax.
