Consultation launched on proposed legalisation of basketball betting in Hong Kong
The government plans to establish a regulatory regime for basketball betting similar to that for football.
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.
A spokesman for the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) said: “As a matter of policy, the Government does not encourage gambling. The Government adopts a multipronged strategy to address gambling-related issues, combining regulation of gambling activities through legislation, law enforcement against illegal gambling, public education and publicity on the harms of gambling addiction, and provision of counselling and support services to people in need.
“There is, however, undeniably an actual and persistent demand for gambling in Hong Kong which, if left unregulated, would likely give rise to illegal gambling activities and associated social problems and other criminal activities. As such, the government adopts a pragmatic approach by allowing only a limited number of authorised gambling outlets, which includes authorising the HKJC to conduct horse race betting, Mark Six Lottery and football betting in accordance with the Betting Duty Ordinance (Cap. 108).”
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.
