Hong Kong Officials Give the Green Light to Basketball Betting
Summary
Hong Kong has passed the Betting Duty Bill 2025 to legalise regulated basketball betting, following earlier proposals from lawmakers. The bill was approved by 77 votes in favour, 2 against and 2 abstentions, and will amend existing betting laws to allow wagering on basketball under a regulated framework similar to the territory’s soccer betting regime.
Under the new law the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) will be granted a basketball betting licence to operate the market. The bill sets a 50% tax rate on basketball bets — the same rate applied to soccer — and officials estimate the taxed market could generate significant revenue (previous projections suggested up to $260 million). A key rationale given by authorities is to reduce the size of the illegal market: the HKJC has estimated up to 430,000 locals wagered as much as $12 billion with unlicensed sportsbooks.
The legislation also includes safer-gambling measures aimed at protecting younger fans, although some lawmakers warned that expanding legal betting may heighten risk for younger people. No official launch date for basketball betting has been announced yet.
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Key Points
- The Betting Duty Bill 2025 passed with 77 votes in favour, 2 against and 2 abstentions, legalising regulated basketball betting in Hong Kong.
- The Hong Kong Jockey Club will receive a licence to offer basketball wagers under the new framework.
- A 50% tax rate will apply to basketball bets, mirroring the rate for soccer wagering.
- Officials say legalising basketball betting aims to curb the black market — which the HKJC estimates involved up to 430,000 locals and about $12 billion in unlicensed wagers.
- Projected tax revenue from basketball betting has been cited (estimates around $260 million), but authorities emphasise preventing illegal activity as the primary motive.
- The bill includes safer-gambling provisions to shield younger sports fans, though concerns remain about increased exposure to gambling for youth; no launch date has been set.
Why should I read this?
Quick and simple: Hong Kong’s moved from cautious to proactive on sports betting. If you follow gambling markets, regulation or regional policy, this is a big shift — it opens a taxed, regulated channel for basketball bets and is aimed at choking off a huge illegal market. Also, there are social-harm debates and hefty tax implications, so it affects operators, regulators and bettors alike.
Author style
Punchy: this isn’t just another regulatory tweak — it’s a landmark change for Hong Kong’s betting landscape. The detail matters if you track market openings, revenue forecasts or responsible-gambling measures, so worth reading the full piece if any of those touch your work.