Basketball Betting Could Soon Become Legal in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is weighing a proposal to increase the number of sports available for betting from two to three.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Earlier this week, the government announced plans to conduct a public consultation on adding basketball to its approved list of betting sports.
For over four decades, Hong Kong has limited gambling to just three activities: football, horse racing, and lotteries, as mandated by the Gambling Ordinance of 1977. The law also grants the Hong Kong Jockey Club a monopoly on these activities, effectively banning private bookmakers.
The idea of regulating basketball betting was hinted at in the jurisdiction’s budget for 2025-26, released in February. It was initially suggested to the government by the HKJC and the Betting and Lotteries Commission (BLC) as a means to combat illegal basketball betting.
According to the HKJC, illegal basketball betting generated a turnover of between HK$70 billion and HK$90 billion in 2024. The club also warned that Hong Kong is frequently exploited by underground bookmakers, causing consumers annual losses of HK$15 billion.
The club believes that converting illegal turnover into legal revenue would generate substantial income for the Hong Kong government and also enable better regulation and control of basketball betting markets.
More Regulation News
HKJC to Oversee Basketball Betting
The Hong Kong government has confirmed that any expansion of basketball betting will be managed under the HKJC’s integrated business model, which has successfully reduced illegal wagering.
The government has also extended the HKJC’s football license for five years, ensuring the club’s continued exclusivity over football betting in Hong Kong.
In the 2023/24 fiscal year, the club contributed a total of HK$40.1 billion to the community, including HK$29.9 billion in government duties, taxes, and lotteries fund payments and HK$10.2 billion in charitable donations.
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