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Friday, August 3, 1973
NO LEGALISED OFF-COURSE BETTING FOR COMING RACING SEASON
A government spokesman said today there was no prospect of
legalised off-course betting being implemented in Hong Kong in time for
the coming racing season in October.
Commenting on newspaper reports, he said: "It is not envisaged
that legalised off-course betting will begin before the 1974-75 racing
season, which opens in October next year,"
The spokesman added that the Royal Hongkong Jockey Club was
being extremely helpful and co-operative on every aspect of the deliberations
on off-course betting by the working party.
"The question of extending an off-course betting scheme to cover
dog racing in Macau is being considered, but a decision has yet to be
reached on this aspect," he said.
It is likely that any system of off-course betting would be under
Jockey Club managenent."
The spokesman recalled that the working party was appointed to
examine specific aspects of a report submitted to the Executive Council
in April this year, reviewing the present government policy on gambling
generally, with particular reference to problems related to illegal gambling.
When completed, the working party's report would be submitted to the Executive Council for consideration, and any legislative action would have
to be put to the Legislative Council. Since the latter would not be reconvened
until October there was no prospect of any imminent change in the law.
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