Gambling

• Gambling Policy
  
  
• Gambling Legislation
  
  
• Betting and Lotteries Commission
  
  
• The Ping Wo Fund
  
  
• Preventive and remedial measures to address gambling-related problems
  
  
• Ping Wo Fund Sponsorship Scheme

Gambling Policy

The Home Affairs Bureau is responsible for formulating gambling policy and monitoring its implementation. Hitherto, the gambling policy is to restrict gambling opportunities to a limited number of authorized and regulated outlets. At present, such authorized gambling outlets include horse racing organized by the Hong Kong Jockey Club , the Mark Six Lottery, authorized football betting and gaming activities authorized by the Commissioner for Television and Entertainment Licensing (CTEL) (e.g. mahjong parlours).

The rationale behind this policy is two-fold. First, while we recognize that there is always a demand for gambling, the conduct of gambling activities should be authorized and regulated. This is because unregulated gambling activities can lead to a number of social problems - frauds, underage gambling, loan sharking, etc. - and become a potential source of income for triad and criminal activities. Second, since it is impossible to reconcile the different views in the community on the extent to which authorized gambling outlets should be allowed to exist, a compromise approach is to allow only a limited number of authorized gambling outlets, the purpose of which is to satisfy substantial and persistent public demand for gambling which would otherwise turn to illegal operators.

Gambling Legislation

Under the Gambling Ordinance (Cap. 148), all gambling activities are illegal except those expressly authorized by the Government under the Betting Duty Ordinance (Cap. 108) (i.e. authorized horse racing, authorized football betting and the Mark Six Lottery), those licensed by the CTEL (e.g. mahjong parlours) and those exempted under Section 3 of the Gambling Ordinance (mainly social gambling).

Betting and Lotteries Commission

With effect from 15 August 2006, the name of the Football Betting and Lotteries Commission was changed to the Betting and Lotteries Commission, and the functions of the Commission expanded to include advising the Secretary for Home Affairs on the regulation of the conduct of betting on horse racing as well as compliance with licensing conditions by the licensee. Details of the terms of reference and membership of the Commission are as follows :

Terms of reference

To advise the Secretary for Home Affairs on the following aspects -

1. regulation of the conduct of horse race betting, football betting and lotteries in accordance with the provisions of the Betting Duty Ordinance and the licensing conditions;
   
   
2. compliance with the licensing conditions by the licensees;
   
   
3. handling of public complaints relating to the compliance of the licensing conditions by the licensees;
   
   
4. imposition of financial penalties on the licensees; and
   
   
5. issuance and revocation of horse race betting, football betting and lottery licences; and variation of the conditions of such licences.

Chairperson
Dr YUNG Wing-ki, Samuel, MH, JP

Official members
Permanent Secretary for Education (or representative)
Commissioner of Police (or representative)
Director of Home Affairs (or representative)

Non-official members
Rev CHAN Yut-wah
Dr. CHENG Kwok-kit, Edwin, MH
Mr. CHEUNG Wai-kou, Lawrence, MH, JP
Dr. CHIU Cheung-ki
Mrs. LAM WONG Pik-har, Grace
Mrs. LIU TONG Wei-oi, Rita, BBS
Mr. TSANG Chi-hung, JP
Mr. YAU How-boa, Stephen, BBS, JP
Mr. YIP Chun-to, Adrian, MH, JP
Mr. YU Pang-chun, SBS, JP

Meeting of the Commission

Complaints and comments

If you have any complaints and comments regarding the regulation of authorized betting and lotteries, please contact us through the following channels:

The Ping Wo Fund

The Government established The Ping Wo Fund in September 2003 to finance preventive and remedial measures to address the gambling-related problems. Starting from 2008 onwards, the Hong Kong Jockey Club has undertaken to contribute $15 million each year in the coming five years. The Fund also welcomes donations from the public. For cheque and cash donations:
- Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd (HSBC) account number “502-407851-001”. Cheques should be made payable to “The Secretary for Home Affairs Incorporated – The Ping Wo Fund”.

The major ambits of The Ping Wo Fund are to finance the following measures:

- research and studies into problems and issues relating to gambling;
- public education and other measures to prevent or alleviate problems relating to gambling;
- counselling, treatment and other remedial or support services for problem and pathological gamblers and those affected by them.

A Ping Wo Fund Advisory Committee has been established to give advice on the use and application of the Fund. The membership of the Committee is as follows:

Chairman

Dr Yau Wing-kwong

Members

Ms Au Yuet-ching, MH
Dr Chiu Cheung-ki
Ms Ho Yee-lin, Elaine
Mr Lam Chek-yau, Billy, MH, JP
Mrs Lam Wong Pik-har, Grace
Ms Lee Ching-nga, Angela
Mr Lee Tak-kong, Alfred
Mr Lo Wing-hung, BBS
Mr Ng Cheung-shing
Dr Wong Chung-kwong, JP
Ms Yu Sau-chu, MH, JP
Dr Yuen Man-tak
Representative of Secretary for Home Affairs
Representative of Secretary for Education
Representative of Director of Social Welfare

Meeting of the Advisory Committee

Preventive and remedial measures to address gambling-related problems

We are implementing various preventive and remedial measures in addressing gambling-related problems which are financed by the Ping Wo Fund. The major details are set out as follows:

Research and studies on gambling-related issues and problems

We have commissioned academic institutes to conduct research and studies on gambling-related issues, which mainly include the following -

1. tracking surveys on the impact of gambling participation, and prevalence of problem and pathological gambling in Hong Kong (for key statistics of the study, press here);
   
   
2. The evaluative study on the effectiveness of the services of the four pilot counseling and treatment centres for problem and pathological gamblers and to provide recommendations on the future development of the four centres (for full report, press here).

Public education and other measures to prevent or alleviate problems relating to gambling

Since 2003, we have commissioned various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to launch education programmes which target the young people, school students, teachers, parents and district personnels on gambling-related problems. The theme of these programmes was commonly known as "Say No to Gambling 屹立不賭", with the primary objective of enhancing understanding of the causes and problems of gambling on the one hand, and strengthening individuals' (particularly young people's) ability to exercise self-control against the temptation of gambling on the other hand.

To effectively spread the message of "Say No to Gambling" to all levels of the community, we have produced various television and radio announcements of public interests (APIs). By showing the audience the adverse impact that could be caused by gambling on one's health, family, social status and finance, the slogans in the APIs : "Don't Gamble your Life Away 沉迷賭 博，累己累人", and "Don't Gamble to Excess 沉迷賭博，賭錢落海" have become widely known to the community.

In 2004 and 2006, the Ping Wo Fund sponsored the production of docu-drama to disseminate the message of "Say No to Gambling". A series of 16 episodes building on real-life experiences were broadcast to promulgate the psychological and financial damages that could be caused by problem and pathological gambling to the gamblers from different walks of life.

We will, from time to time, consider commissioning new public education programmes, so as to continuously counter the negative impact of gambling on the society.

Over the years, education campaigns by HAB as mentioned above have repeatedly emphasized on the adverse impact of excessive or illegal gambling on the community, especially on the young people. It is stipulated in the law that it’s illegal for gambling operators to accept bets or allow the participation in gambling activities by young people below the age of 18.

Starting from 2003, we have also commissioned various NGOs to launch education campaigns targeted at school students. Upon the commencement of the new English Premier League season in August 2007, we launched a territory-wide campaign with the specific theme of "睇波‧不賭波，健康‧齊踢波" which aimed at educating the public, especially the school children and young people that soccer should be played as a healthy sports instead of abused as a gambling tool. The campaign has successfully reached out to all primary and secondary schools, parents' associations and district communities. For details of the campaign, please see http://www.donotgamble.tv.

We will continue to cooperate with relevant government departments, including the Education Bureau, the Police and the Social Welfare Department and the NGOs, particularly the youth organizations, in launching further education campaigns to remind the young people not to engage in underage or illegal gambling.

Counselling and treatment as well as other remedial services for problem and pathological gamblers

Four dedicated counselling and treatment centres for problem and pathological gamblers financed by The Ping Wo Fund are being operated by Caritas, the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Zion Social Service Limited and Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service respectively. The first two centres operated by Caritas and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals commenced service since October 2003 and another two centres operated by Zion Social Service Limited and The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups commenced operation since February 2007. The service contract of The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups was ended on 31 December 2009 and the service was taken over by Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service with effect from January 2010. The gambling counselling hotline service (telephone number: 1834 633) commenced operation in October 2003.

The four centres provide specialized counselling and treatment services for problem and pathological gamblers and their family members. The four centres will also facilitate the development of the best practices for remedial services and screening of problem and pathological gamblers in Hong Kong, and collect data and statistics for the sake of enhancing understanding about the behaviour and risk factors of problem and pathological gambling.

Ping Wo Fund Sponsorship Scheme

The Ping Wo Fund Sponsorship Scheme (the Scheme), administered by the Ping Wo Fund Advisory Committee (the Committee), aims to provide sponsorship to community organisations to organise public education programmes/activities to prevent and alleviate gambling-related problems.

The Ping Wo Fund Sponsorship Scheme 2010-11 is inviting applications and the deadline is 12:00 noon on 30 April 2010. For details, please refer to the guidance note.

- Guidance Note of the Ping Wo Fund Sponsorship Scheme 2010-11 (PDF)

- Annex (PDF)

- Ping Wo Fund Sponsorship Scheme 2010-11 Application List (PDF)

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