Hong Kong police arrest 78 in anti-illegal gambling operation
Police say operations, including an offshore betting syndicate operating at a racecourse.
Hong Kong.- Police have arrested 78 people in a large-scale operation targeting illegal gambling, vice and drug-related activities. Officers say the initiative resulted in the dismantling of four illegal gambling establishments including an illegal betting syndicate that allegedly operated at Happy Valley Racecourse using offshore gambling platforms. Police also seized narcotics valued at HK$500,000 (US$63,700).
The operation, conducted between July 7 and July 20, was part of the joint Thunderbolt 2026 campaign across Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. The suspects, aged between 16 and 68, face charges ranging from operating unlawful gambling establishments to illegal bookmaking, money laundering and claiming triad society membership.
Seven men were arrested for allegedly running illegal bookmaking at Happy Valley Racecourse. Investigators said the suspects had been reserving seats in secluded areas of the grandstand since 2025 and using their mobile phones to place bets for customers through offshore gambling websites.
According to Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK, six of the suspects are mainland Chinese visitors holding two-way permits, while one is a Hong Kong resident. The seven men have been released on bail as investigations continue into whether they were controlled by a larger criminal syndicate. Police said the racecourse arrests followed complaints filed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Authorities also raided a residential unit in North Point believed to have been used as an illegal gambling den linked to triad operations. Preliminary investigations indicate that the venue generated more than HK$400,000 (US$51,000) in gambling turnover per month.
