Hong Kong lawmakers approve basketball betting legislation
Summary
Hong Kong’s legislature has approved the Betting Duty (Amendment) Bill 2025 to legalise basketball betting, extending the city’s regulated sports wagering framework that has covered football since 2003. The bill passed by 77 votes to two, with two abstentions, and sets a 50% duty on net profits from basketball betting. The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs will have the power to grant an exclusive licence to the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC).
The government says the move aims to shift activity away from illegal operators and onto regulated platforms. Alongside enforcement, authorities plan education and publicity measures targeting young people and will fund a fifth prevention and support centre under the Ping Wo Fund to address gambling-related harm.
Key Points
- The Betting Duty (Amendment) Bill 2025 was approved on 11 September 2025 (77 for, 2 against, 2 abstentions).
- The law imposes a 50% duty on net profits from basketball betting.
- The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs may grant an exclusive licence to the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC).
- Government says the change is designed to curb illegal betting, not to promote gambling participation.
- HKJC estimated illegal basketball turnover at HK$70bn–HK$90bn in 2024, with ~430,000 residents using unlicensed platforms.
- Additional safeguards include increased enforcement, targeted youth education and a new youth-focused prevention/support centre funded by the Ping Wo Fund.
- Financial Secretary earlier estimated annual tax revenue of HK$1.5bn–HK$2bn from legalised basketball betting.
- Formal launch date still pending publication of the final ruling in the Hong Kong Gazette.
Context and relevance
This is the biggest expansion of Hong Kong’s regulated sports-betting sector in more than two decades. Legalising basketball betting follows longstanding concerns about a large unregulated market online, which authorities say exposes consumers to fraud and harms. For operators, payment providers, regulators and public-health agencies the law changes compliance, tax and market dynamics in the city.
It also matters to regional iGaming markets: giving the HKJC exclusive rights concentrates market access and oversight in a single incumbent, while the high duty and strict controls signal a cautious, revenue-focused approach by policymakers.
Author take
Punchy: This isn’t a minor tweak — it’s a major policy shift that turns a huge black‑market activity into a taxable, regulated business. If you work in iGaming, payments, sports rights or responsible‑gambling services in APAC, this will affect strategy, compliance and market opportunity.
Why should I read this?
Short and blunt: if you care about gambling regulation, market access or risk in Hong Kong (or the APAC iGaming scene), this story changes the playing field. It pulls a massive slice of activity out of the shadows, rewrites tax and licensing expectations, and forces operators to rethink where customers will place bets — legally or not. Read it so you know what to expect next.
Source
Source: https://next.io/news/regulation/hong-kong-approve-basketball-betting-legislation/