Casinos in Hong Kong

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Hong Kong strictly regulates gambling, limiting it to horse racing, football betting, mahjong, and lottery while no legal space is left for land-based casinos that offer classic table games and slot machines.

The only way (without unpleasant consequences) to feel the festive vibe of Las Vegas is to board one of the casino ships at the Kai Tak terminal located at the heart of Victoria Harbour – for residents and visitors of “Asia’s World City” alike.

It’s no secret that the colorful streets of Hong Kong are home to many underground gaming clubs where locals play fan tan, pai gow, and even blackjack, but the risk of getting caught and being prosecuted for an offense is far from negligible. The penalties are serious, consisting of a hefty fine and several months of jail time.

History of Gambling in Hong Kong

An island off the coast of southeast China, Hong Kong has always been sparsely populated predominately by Chinese who speak Cantonese, which is also spread in Macau.

From ancient times, it was a classic fishing and farming society where locals tried to make the most of the natural assets they had at their disposal.

Similar to mainland China, various forms of gambling were popular among the local communities, including well-known today mahjong, pai gow, and other games originated in Asia. The attitude toward a pastime that involves real-money betting varied at different times, however, such activities have never been promoted. What’s more, the authorities and society in general frowned upon any form of gambling, which resulted in its quite early prohibition.

Things changed in 1841 when the island became a British colony and the British Hong Kong Government created new legislation to give way to their most favorite type of amusement – horse racing. Since the territory did not have any race tracks at that time, the first three Derbys (1842-1844) were held in Macau and apparently, they were organized more like sports events without official betting. Already in 1845, the first racecourse in Pokfulam was ready to welcome contestants and visitors during weekends while since 1858, horse racing has been part of everyday life in Happy Valley.

The year 1867 presented a pivotal moment in the history of gambling in Hong Kong as in June, the law of social order and decency was introduced by the British authorities. Among other things, it contains an article that allowed the Governor to hold tenders for gambling businesses and levy respective taxes. The law, however, was met with open hostility in part of society, and, in 1871, under the pressure of local communities, gambling was prohibited.

However, the ban did not succeed in stopping various betting activities, which had already managed to gain popularity at that time. Since then, gambling in one or another form (including illegal) has been present in Hong Kong, depending on the changes in the political climate and similar factors.

Gambling Legislation

The main legislation regulating gambling activities in Hong Kong is the Gambling Ordinance (Cap 148) enacted back in 1977. According to this document, the only legal betting activities on the island are horse racing, football betting, and the Mark Six Lottery, plus mahjong clubs and other events licensed by the public officers appointed by the Secretary for Home Affairs Bureau.

In the Gambling Ordinance, gaming is defined as "the playing of or at any game for winnings in money or other property whether or not any person playing the game is at risk of losing any money or other property".

The body called the Home Affairs Bureau is the one in charge of creating gambling policy and overseeing its implementation. The Bureau secretary appoints the public officer who is responsible for granting licenses under the Gambling Ordinance and the Amusement Game Centres Ordinance.

Another important entity within the Bureau is the Betting and Lotteries Commission, which advises the Secretary on the regulation of betting on horse races and football matches, the organization of lotteries, the procedure of issuing and revoking licenses, and similar stuff.

The Hong Kong Police Force is also authorized by the Gambling Ordinance to bring into force the applicable laws and decrees. Currently, the Hong Kong Jockey Club is the only horse racing club and legal bookmaker authorized by the government to provide the respective gambling services. It also has an online version.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, the Hong Kong Jockey Club is one of the oldest institutions on the island. From the very outset, the Club had impressive revenue, which partly was used to enhance social welfare.

As for horse racing, it has always been very popular, attracting many people and generating public interest. They were held even during the hard times for the nation when Japan occupied Hong Kong in 1941. The occupation ended in 1945, leaving the island with a significant drop in population from 1.6m to just 650,000. Such a drop was caused by a severe food shortage that forced people to flee to mainland China.

However, already a year after the end of the Second World War, the vast majority of refugees came back while Britain successfully re-established its civil government.

Mahjong Parlors

A global phenomenon, Mahjong was developed in the middle of the 19th century in Southern China. Translated to English, the name of the game means “sparrow” and reflects the specific bird-like clacking sound made by the tiles during reshuffling.

Before the beginning of their winning march across the world in the early 1900s, Mahjong enjoyed great popularity in mainland China, Hong Kong, and other territories under the influence of Chinese culture. When in 1871 the British government prohibited gambling activities, this captivating game managed to survive as it was arguably the absolute favorite of Guangdongese in terms of pastime.

In the modern history of Hong Kong, Mahjong is one of the betting activities that is subject to a gambling license. The first licenses were issued in 1956 and interestingly, the total number of licenses ever issued is 144, which is equal to the number of ivory tiles used in this game. At some point, to comply with the gambling law, the “parlor” in the license title was replaced with the “school” but that did not change the essence.