Hong Kong debates basketball betting as illegal gambling rakes in billions

Hong Kong could soon legalize betting on basketball. After a brief mention in the 2025-26 budget in February, the Hong Kong government announced this week that it will begin weighing whether to add the sport to its strict list.

Currently, Hong Kong allows for betting on football and horse racing. This is managed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), the only legal betting entity in the area. Part of the reason for proposing basketball owes to its popularity in the region and to combat illegal gambling.

According to reports, illegal gambling rings make well over HK$70 billion ($9.3 billion) and are estimated to hit as high as HK$90 billion ($11.6 billion) on basketball alone last year.

The CEO of the HKJC, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, said in the South China Morning Post, “The proposal is with them and we have to see how they want to progress it. It will be interesting.

“Now, they lead, and we can only follow because it’s a policy decision. They asked us to give them a proposal, and we did.

“It is good that it has been recognised that there is obviously a significant illegal gambling problem.”

While Hong Kong’s move would put it out of step with mainland China, which has a strict no-gambling policy. It would bring it more in line with Macau, which is the only location in China that allows for legal gambling.

However, Hong Kong’s Home and Youth Affairs Bureau states that it “does not encourage gambling” and is actively working to counteract “gambling-related issues” via a “multipronged strategy”.

It has also said that it expects to see the following enforced, similar to how other sports betting is handled in the country:

• A fixed duration shall be set on the licensing period
• The Government shall impose restrictions on the number of bet types and classes of competitions
• The licensed operator shall not accept bets on basketball matches involving Hong Kong teams and/or matches that take place in Hong Kong, to promote a betting-free and healthy environment for the sport in Hong Kong
• The licensed operator shall not accept bets from juveniles
• The licensed operator shall not accept credit betting
• The licensed operator shall display notices reminding the public of the seriousness of the problems caused by excessive gambling, and provide information on the services available for those with gambling disorder.

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