The history of gambling in Hong Kong is quite complex and long and has a lot to do with imperialism in the 19th century. Just as in its history, the gambling legislation in the country has changed over the decades, especially after the imperial masters left governance to Hongkongers.
In Hong Kong, the biggest challenges of the local government authorities are the unprecedented growth of digital venues such as betting platforms and online casinos which have led to a lot of struggle to control and regulate gambling. However, the Hong Kong Jockey Club is not relenting in clamping down on illegal gambling facilities in the country.
Before the English took over governance in Hong Kong in 1841, Gambling was banned in the country. However, the imperial masters brought different businesses into the colony and gambling was among them, especially, horse racing. Because Hong Kong lacked racing tracks, the initial races were staged in Macau – this is why the Tap Siac racetrack/ racecourse in Macau became the key stage for the then-weekend Derby between 1841 and 1844. The racecourse only moved to the Pokfulam area of Hong Kong in 1845. All these can be found in the guide to the best online gambling sites in Hong Kong which also features useful information on the best online gambling sites in Hong Kong.
By 1858, Happy Valley took the lead when it became the venue for all racing events, and nine years later in 1867, the then-local British government deemed it necessary to enact and pass the social order, decency law, plus Article XVIII. Through these laws, the Hong Kong governor was permitted to tax all gambling activities which made gambling officially legal in the entire country.
However, this development did not go down well with the local society which made continual requests for the imposed regulations to be withdrawn. The people’s objection to the gambling laws stemmed from their knowledge of the dangers of compulsive gambling and they saw positive results in 1871 when gambling activities were prohibited.
It goes without saying that gambling was not entirely eradicated by the 1871 ban as Hongkongers were still wagering and their activities eventually birthed the Hong Kong Jockey Club which was established in 1884. Then, the popularity of horse racing hit sky level, evolving into an emblem of prosperity, social status, and a sublime form of entertainment.
Mahjong was another of Hong Kong’s popular games which became officially legal in 1956 following which "Mahjong Schools" started receiving licenses from the local police.
1975 was when the Hong Kong government launched its premiere lottery known as Mark Six. The Gambling Ordinance’s establishment in 1977 marked a gambling revolution in the entire country, giving exclusive rights to the Jockey Club to organize gambling activities as well as regulate them. This gambling period only featured Mark Six, Mahjong, and horse racing, however, the rise of football/soccer betting was witnessed during the early part of the 2000s. Note that when the Gambling Amendment Ordinance was launched in 2002 with the aim of minimizing online gambling activities, it proved to be unsuccessful.
Presently, Hong Kong considers both sports betting and online casinos as illegal but this does not prevent its people from patronizing offshore sites. Meanwhile, the country permits all land-based wagering activities which are only accessible from establishments under the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
The Gambling Ordinance (Cap. 148) governs all gambling activities in Hong Kong but the online casinos accessible to citizens operate under licenses from the Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission, and the Curacao eGaming which are all reputable gambling regulators with global recognition. With that said, it is worth noting that Hong Kong authorities still face a lot of challenges while trying to suppress illegal gambling.
As the Hong Kong government continues to battle with illegal gambling activities and its perpetrators, the authorities have put measures in place to deal with any apprehended defaulters.
Those whose offences include organizing illegal betting or gambling activities in the country may attract a prison sentence of 7 years or more, alternatively, the defaulters may be asked to pay fines up to HK$5 million
Apart from the organizers, there are legal implications for people who just took part in these illegal betting or gambling activities Though the law appears to be a bit lenient on them, the defaulters can still end up behind bars for up to nine months or pay up to HK$50,000 in fines. All these are displayed for the perusal of Hong Kong citizens who need to seriously consider the penalties before deciding to wager on none Hong Kong Jockey Club platforms.
Expectations are high in the online gambling landscape as the Hong Kong authorities are poised to pass new laws in no distant time. These laws will ensure the safety of its citizens who insist on playing online. The need for this security became imperative because of the challenges faced by people who wager through offshore online gambling facilities.
Because Hong Kong considers these offshore casinos illegal, most of them tend to hide certain risks and since the laws do not offer protection to its gaming citizens, they are exposed to maximum risks. Some of them even prefer to play in anonymity by making deposits through electronic wallets and cryptocurrency means, making it impossible to know when they encounter serious issues.
It has been rumored that Hong Kong’s massive tax revenues from land-based wagering activities have whetted its appetite to earn more through implementing proper online regulators. The country is rumored to also have pipeline plans to establish local licensing and taxation to take care of all loopholes.
Gambling enthusiasts in Hong Kong have continued to have limited access to legal online casinos unlike what is prevalent in the USA, in Ocean City, New Jersey for example where gambling became legal since June 2018. The situation in Hong Kong is as it is because of the country’s strict laws and regulations that restrict them to only Hong Kong Jockey Club platforms featuring only Mark Six, Mahjong, and horse racing. However, people wish for a change of regulations that will make wagering easier for gaming enthusiasts. However, no one seems to know when and how these changes are likely to be effected but citizens are not giving up hope of realizing this dream in the near future.
