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Sammy Heung

Hong Kong authorities are planning to engage the Jockey Club for discussions on adjusting the maximum betting limits for basketball to provide a regulated channel for such activities, as the government moves to legalise wagering for the sport.
Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen said on Saturday that lawmakers had previously suggested the government review the maximum wagers for basketball as they scrutinised the Betting Duty (Amendment) Bill 2025.
She said the Jockey Club, which is set to become the sole licensed basketball betting operator, currently had limits on wagers for other sports.
Horse racing and football bets are capped at HK$50,000 (US$6,370) per individual wager. Each betting account has a daily total stake limit of HK$500,000.
“The bill provides a legal framework under which the home and youth affairs chief is empowered to issue licences for betting activities. When these licences are issued, licensing conditions can be included,” she told a radio programme.
“We will later discuss with the Jockey Club to assess the technical feasibility and how to handle it so that we can provide a regulated and limited channel for betting, and the public will engage in controlled gambling.”
The government earlier proposed establishing a regulatory regime for basketball betting by modelling it on the existing one for football.
According to the Jockey Club’s latest assessment, illegal basketball betting turnover reached between HK$70 billion and HK$90 billion last year.
Under the regulatory proposals, a basketball betting duty is expected to be levied on the operator at 50 per cent of the net stake receipts – the total betting amount minus the dividends payable.
There had been concerns that the legislation could encourage people to try betting or start gambling at a younger age.
In a previous discussion at the Legislative Council, a lawmaker proposed setting monthly betting limits for people aged below 26 to prevent potential addiction.
But Mak said the suggestion might be ineffective, explaining that young people could use others’ betting accounts.
Authorities earlier said they were planning to set up a fifth counselling centre specifically for young people who experienced gambling-related issues.
Mak said on Saturday that the government’s policies had been focused on discouraging gambling.
“We are trying to divert individuals and resources currently involved in illegal gambling towards limited and regulated betting activities,” she said.

Separately, Mak said the number of community care teams would be increased from 452 to 455 in the second stage of the initiative after the first-phase service agreements expired between late September and mid-October.
The care team initiative was introduced by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in his first policy address in 2022 to encourage greater support of the government’s neighbourhood outreach efforts. The scheme was expanded across the city in the third quarter of 2023.
Each team is supported by funding ranging from HK$800,000 to HK$1.2 million to serve the community for two-year terms.
Mak explained that the team in Sha Tau Kok and Ta Kwu Ling was split into two due to the vast coverage of the area, and an additional team was established in Sai Kung and North district due to the rise in population.
She said the teams had made about 530,000 visits to elderly households, provided 75,000 instances of home care and support services to the elderly, and held 38,000 community activities the end of last month.
Mak said the three main directions of the second stage of the initiative aimed to ensure the continuity of community services and their alignment with the specific needs of each district, while providing deeper and broader service.
Authorities would invite the original units to continue their services for the second phase, and if they could not, other shortlisted teams from the first phase would be invited to take over, she said.


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Hong Kong society

Hong Kong officials to discuss adjusting basketball betting limits with Jockey Club

The Jockey Club is set to become the sole licensed basketball betting operator. Photo: Jelly Tse

Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak has said that government policies have been focused on discouraging gambling. Photo: Elson Li

Hong Kong proposes 50% duty on net profits from basketball betting

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith dunks the ball in a game with the New York Knicks in the US on May 31. Under the proposals, operators should not accept bets on basketball games involving Hong Kong teams or ones that are held locally. Photo: EPA-EFE

Under the government’s proposals, betting will not be allowed on local basketball games  Photo: Jelly Tse

With 12-minute quarters, people might be tempted to bet on basketball, experts warn. Photo: AP

Basketball betting: Hong Kong plans fifth counselling centre for gamblers

Under Hong Kong’s proposals, only bets on overseas games such as those in the NBA will be allowed. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

Alice Mak says the authorities are not regulating basketball betting activities for tax revenue. Photo: Elson Li

A community care team measures elderly residents’ blood pressure in Cheung Sha Wan. Photo: Jelly Tse

News

Hong Kong

Society

Government earlier proposed establishing regulatory regime for basketball betting by modelling it on football wagering


Government earlier proposed establishing regulatory regime for basketball betting by modelling it on football wagering.


China

Hong Kong Jockey Club

Hong Kong officials to discuss adjusting basketball betting limits with Jockey Club

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Government earlier proposed establishing regulatory regime for basketball betting by modelling it on football wagering

Government earlier proposed establishing regulatory regime for basketball betting by modelling it on football wagering