Gambling Ordinance Hong Kong

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Hong Kong’s population was then only about 5.5 million, but it bet more on horses than the entire U.S., reaching about $10 billion annually by the 1990s. Hong Kong racing uses a parimutuel (also.

All types of gambling are legal in Hong Kong but the government keeps a very close eye on what’s happening and regulations are tight.

  1. Under the Gambling Ordinance (Cap. 148), all gambling activities are illegal except those expressly authorised by the Government under the Betting Duty Ordinance (Cap. The HKJC horse racing and Mark Six Lottery), those exempted under section 3 of the Gambling Ordinance (mainly social gambling) and those licensed by the Commissioner for Television and Entertainment Licensing (e.g. Mahjong parlours).
  2. Drafting and Making Legislation in Hong Kong Drafting Legislation in Hong Kong— A Guide to Styles and Practices How Legislation is Made in Hong Kong— A Drafter’s View of the Process.
  3. Hong Kong Gambling Laws Hong Kong is home to only four forms of legal gambling. Mahjong is one and operates under special exemptions from our gambling laws when certain conditions are met. Horse racing is what we are most known for and is practically a religion here.
  4. AGMs as required under the Companies Ordinance of Hong Kong and/or the Main Board or GEM Listing Rules, in general, are exempted.

That being said offshore operators do offer online gambling to residents of the country which we’ll detail below along with a full overview of the situation and rundown of all key laws relating to online and offline gambling.

Betting Sites Available In Honk Kong:

We only know of one betting site available to use if you’re a resident in Hong Kong and that’s 188bet.

T&C’s apply – 18+

Key Facts: Online Gambling In Hong Kong

  • Online betting and gambling legal with licensed operators (since 2006).
  • Football betting (soccer) is the most popular with punters.
  • Legal gambling age is 18+.
  • Overseas providers legal with a license (current non exist)
  • Offshore operators continue to serve customers in the market.

Gambling Legislation & Laws

Often the best way to understand the legal situation surrounding gambling in any given country is to look back through the legislation passed over the years. The following timeline allows you to do just that for Hong Kong’s gambling industry:

1977 – The Gambling Ordinance

It was in 1977 under the Gambling Ordinance that gambling was first legalised and regulated in Hong Kong.

That piece of legislation determined that gambling was only legal in certain licensed gambling establishments and established a monopoly over lotteries, horse racing betting and other sports betting for the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

2002 – The Gambling (Amendment) Ordinance

Laws of hong kong

In 2002, the Hong Kong Legislative Council passed the Gambling (Amendment) Ordinance. This piece of legislation banned all offshore gambling, including offshore internet gambling but did allow for the Hong Kong Jockey Club to offer some online gambling services in the shape of selling lottery tickets and providing horse racing and football betting.

It was this legislation, too, which set down the potential punishments for anyone found operating or using illegal offshore and internet gambling services. These are that representatives of providers can be jailed for up to seven years and the company fined $5 million HKD, and that users of the services can be imprisoned for up to nine months and fined $30,000 HKD.

2014 – Home Affairs Bureau Announcement

Gambling Ordinance Hong Kong

In spite of the 2002 legislation, overseas online gambling operators continued to cater for Hong Kong citizens. Whilst this is illegal and the Hong Kong authorities do not condone it, the Home Affairs Bureau did state in 2014 that they would not seek to block access to unlicensed betting websites.

Gambling Ordinance Hong Kong Kowloon

Tax On Winnings?

Labour Ordinance Hong Kong

Another important element of any country’s legal stance on gambling is how the activity is viewed when it comes to tax. In Hong Kong, the situation is mercifully simple as there is currently no mechanism at all for punters to be taxed on their winnings.

In the case of legal gambling provided through licensed establishments and organisations such as the Hong Kong Jockey Club, it is those companies who are taxed and not their customers. When it comes to punters who use illegal online gambling sites, too, the Hong Kong authorities have no way of levying tax on winnings. They can, however, prosecute individuals who do take part in illegal gambling and impose prison sentences and fines.

Hong Kong Casino Ships

Deposit Methods: What Works?

Gambling Ordinance Hong Kong Hong Kong

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Hong Kong Casino Hotels

Most Hong Kong banks and credit card providers do not allow their customers to deposit to illegal overseas gambling providers. As such, credit or debit card deposits often have sporadic success.

China Hong Kong Law

Instead, many of those punters choose to deposit with their chosen sites through e-wallet services such as Skrill or Neteller. These services offer a kind of buffer between the gambling sites and a customer’s bank, and in many cases it is only the name of the e-wallet which shows up on a bank statement and not where the money ultimately goes.