Hong Kong Jockey Club to propose regulated basketball betting

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has welcomed a decision by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, announced in its 2025-26 Budget on 26 February 2025, to invite the Club to draw up a proposal for legalised and regulated basketball betting.

The Club said the move would help tackle the growing scale of illegal basketball betting in the territory, which it estimates generated turnover of between HK$70 billion and HK$90 billion over the past year. It argued that unregulated betting activity is linked to wider social harms, including loan sharking and underage gambling.

Integrated business model

The organisation, which has operated in Hong Kong for 140 years as a not-for-profit sports and charity body, said its existing Integrated Business Model has repeatedly proven effective in countering illegal betting operations. It believes extending this regulated framework to basketball would strengthen the government’s efforts against illegal wagering while supporting the Club’s continued financial contribution to public and charitable causes through taxation and donations.

The Club said it intends to submit a detailed proposal to the government in the near future and has expressed a wish to work closely with authorities to implement the initiative as quickly as possible.

Background

According to the Club, its integrated model spans horse racing, racecourse entertainment, a membership operation, regulated sports wagering and lottery services, along with community and charitable contributions. In the 2023/24 financial year, the organisation says it returned HK$40.1 billion to the Hong Kong community, comprising HK$29.9 billion in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions, and HK$10.2 billion in approved charitable donations. The Club describes itself as Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of its major employers, with its Charities Trust ranking among the world’s leading charitable donors.