Calls for legalizing basketball betting in Hong Kong resurface amid budget discussions

As Hong Kong officials gather public input on the upcoming budget, discussions on expanding the scope of legal betting have resurfaced, with renewed calls to permit basketball wagering through the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC).

Legislator Ronick Chan Chun-ying has once again proposed that the government consider allowing basketball betting, arguing that such a move could increase tax revenue and curb illegal gambling operations.

His comments follow similar discussions last year, which ultimately did not make it into the budget and were not revisited afterward. However, the issue has re-emerged in the current quarterly budget review, with some lawmakers advocating for a policy shift.

In an interview with Sing Tao Daily, Chan stated that illegal betting on basketball leagues such as the NBA and China’s CBA remains widespread and that prohibition has not been effective in eliminating unauthorized gambling.

“Instead of banning it, we should manage it,” Chan said. “There is a lot of illegal gambling on basketball matches such as the NBA and CBA, and it is practically impossible to ban them completely.”

He further argued that permitting HKJC to offer regulated basketball betting would not only reduce illegal gambling but could generate more than HK$1 billion (US$128 million) annually in additional tax revenue for the government.

The Hong Kong branch of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) recently released a budget proposal that included a recommendation to legalize basketball betting. The organization noted that such a policy change would align Hong Kong’s gaming regulations with international market trends, while also helping to expand government revenue streams and mitigate the risks associated with illegal betting operations.

Currently, Hong Kong law restricts legal betting activities to horse racing, football wagering, the Mark Six lottery, and licensed mahjong parlors. Betting on these activities is available through in-person transactions, telephone services, and HKJC’s online platform.

HKJC has previously advocated for basketball betting as an additional regulated market. In March 2024, HKJC CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges highlighted the prevalence of illegal basketball gambling in Hong Kong, estimating that between 100,000 and 150,000 people in the city engage in unregulated betting, with total wagers exceeding HK$50 billion (US$6.4 billion).

Engelbrecht-Bresges stated that if basketball betting were legalized, 50% to 60% of those currently using illegal gambling channels would shift to legal betting, increasing transparency and government tax revenue.

Despite these arguments, former Financial Secretary Paul Chan previously dismissed the idea, asserting that legalizing basketball betting was not in the government’s interest. He cautioned that expanding legal wagering would adversely affect young people and lead to a broader increase in gambling participation.

The chairman of the Football Association of Hong Kong, Eric Fok, last month suggested that legalizing betting on local football matches could bolster the city's sports sector by attracting more resources and reducing reliance on external funding.  

In a recent interview with the South China Morning Post, Fok stated that the proposal remains in the "discussion phase" but has garnered support from stakeholders in Hong Kong’s sports community. "There are a lot of people who have brought this up and expressed that they support this," he said.