17
Thursday, November 2, 1972
OFF COURSE BETTING SHOULD BE LEGALISED
The Hon. P.G. Williams today called for a form of legal off-course
betting and suggested that as a first step the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club
be permitted soon to accept certain off-course bets.
Speaking in the Legislative Council on a motion of thanks for the
Governor's speech two weeks ago, Mr. Williams said he was not advocating
that all gambling should be legalised.
"I am simply saying that for the good of the community, the gambling
which is permitted in the Happy Valley Race Course should be legally permitted
in other parts of Hong Kong provided it is in responsible hands and the
community benefits from the profits."
Mr. Williams noted that since the war, the Jockey Club had been
the vehicle for contributing vast sums of money each year for the good of
the community, both indirectly through betting duties, and directly, by
means of capital grants to community projects of every kind.
·
During the past 10 years, the Club itself has directly contributed
some $200 million for charitable and amenity projects.
Mr. Williams said that "the source of this beneficence is not only
threatened by the continual extension of illegal off-course betting, but
also the opportunity is being lost to obtain much more for the welfare of
the community by failing to legalize and control off-course betting.'
He suggested that something in the order of $100 million had been
lost in revenue from illegal betting last year alone.
/Mr. Williams