-
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1976
NEW LAWS TO COMBAT ILLEGAL GAMBLING PROPOSED
****
THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (FRIDAY) PUBLISHED A BILL TO REPLACE THE EXISTING GAMBLING ORDINANCE AS A FURTHER STEP TO STAMP OUT THE UNAUTHORISED EXPLOITATION OF GAMBLING.
THE MEASURES CONTAINED IN THE GAMBLING BILL 1976 STRENGTHEN THE LAW AGAINST THOSE WHO MAKE A LIVING BY INDUCING OR PROVIDING FACILITIES FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO GAMBLE EXCEPT AS AUTHORISED.
IN RECENT YEARS, STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN THROUGH THE INTRODUCTION OF OFF-COURSE BETTING BY THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HONG KONG LOTTERIES BOARD TO PROVIDE THOSE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO GAMBLE WITH A MORE READILY AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO WITHOUT BREAKING THE LAW, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.
+ THE PROPOSALS IN THE BILL ARE INTENDED TO ENABLE A MORE EFFECTIVE ATTACK TO BE MOUNTED NOW AGAINST ILLEGAL GAMBLING,+ HE POINTED OUT.
THE BILL, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO GO BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHORTLY, WILL COME INTO EFFECT ON A DAY TO BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
THE BILL DEFINES ON WHAT OCCASIONS GAMBLING WILL BE PERMITTED. THESE INCLUDE SOCIAL GATHERINGS EITHER AT HOME OR IN LICENSED RESTAURANTS, CLUBS OR SOCIETIES WHERE GAMBLING AT MAHJONG OR WITH DICE, CARDS, DOMINOES OR TIN KAU WILL BE ALLOWED SO LONG AS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, IT DOES NOT INVOLVE PLAYING AGAINST A BANKER OR IS NOT TO THE ADVANTAGE OF ONLY ONE PERSON OR PARTY. PRIVATE BETS ARE NOT UNLAWFUL IF THE BET IS NOT MADE WITH A BOOKMAKER.
LOTTERIES WILL BE LEGAL IF THEY ARE AUTHORISED BY OR UNDER THE BETTING DUTY ORDINANCE, THE GOVERNMENT LOTTERIES ORDINANCE OR A LICENCE ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE BILL WHICH ALSO EMPOWER HIM TO LICENSE GAMES OF TOMBOLA, GAMES OF AMUSEMENT WITH PRIZES OR TRADE PROMOTION COMPETITIONS.
SIMILARLY, THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE WILL HAVE POWERS TO LICENSE PREMISES FOR MAHJONG AND TIN KAU GAMES AS A TRADE OR BUSINESS.
AS FAR AS ILLEGAL GAMBLING IS CONCERNED, THE BILL PROHIBITS BOOKMAKING, WHICH IS THE NEGOTIATION OF BETS BY WAY OF TRADE OR BUSINESS, AND STIPULATES A FINE OF $500,000 AND SEVEN YEARS IMPRISONMENT. THE SAME PENALTY WILL APPLY FOR RUNNING AN UNLAWFUL LOTTERY, OPERATING AN ILLEGAL GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENT AND ALLOWING PREMISES TO BE USED AS A GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENT.
ONE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE BILL IS THE REDEFINITION OF +COMMON GAMING HOUSE+ INTO +GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENT WHICH WILL MEAN ANY PREMISES OR PLACE USED FOR UNLAWFUL GAMBLING, OR AN UNLAWFUL LOTTERY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS USED ON ONE OR MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. AT PRESNET ILLEGAL OPERATORS GET AWAY WITH IT BY SIMPLY JUST CHANGING THEIR LOCATION,
/ANOTHER