Basketball betting bill published

The Betting Duty (Amendment) Bill 2025, which provides for a regulatory framework in relation to basketball betting, was published in the Government Gazette today.

The amendments to the existing ordinance include granting power to the Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs to issue a licence for basketball betting and to impose licensing conditions; provisions for the calculation and collection of betting duties; and an expansion of the functions of the Betting & Lotteries Commission to cover matters relating to the regulation of basketball betting.

The Home & Youth Affairs Bureau emphasised that the Government does not encourage gambling as a matter of policy. On the regulation of gambling activities through legislation, it said the policy objective of providing authorised gambling outlets is to address public demand for certain gambling activities whilst preventing people from turning to illegal operators.

If the bill is enacted, the Government – with reference to the current regime for betting on horse racing and football – will issue a licence to the Hong Kong Jockey Club to operate basketball betting, and impose licensing conditions so as to minimise the negative impact of gambling on the public, especially on young people.

As with football betting, the duty for basketball betting will be charged at 50% of the net stake receipts.

In addition, the Government will continue to collaborate closely with the Ping Wo Fund Advisory Committee to strengthen publicity and counselling for young people.

In addition to four existing funded counselling centres, the Government will allocate additional resources to establish a new centre dedicated to providing counselling and support services for youth.

Public education efforts will also be strengthened to emphasise to young people that participating in illegal gambling or placing bets with an illegal bookmaker is a criminal offence.

The bill will be introduced for first reading in the Legislative Council on July 2.