WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1977
HE SAID THAT ONLY 30 PER CENT OF THE TURNOVER CAME FROM THE PUBLIC ENCLOSURES WHERE THE AVERAGE ATTENDANCE WAS AROUND 25,000.
+PUT ANOTHER WAY MEMBERS OF THE JOCKEY CLUB AND THEIR GUESTS CONSTITUTE ABOUT TWO OR THREE PER CENT OF THE BETTING PUBLIC BOTH ON AND OFF THE COURSE AND YET ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR 30 PER CENT OF ALL WAGERING, HE SAID.
+FROM MY OBSERVATION AND KNOWLEDGE, IN THE MEMBERS' ENCLOSURE THE MAJORITY BET IN MODEST SUMS AND THERE IS NO DOUBT AT ALL THAT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF THE TOTAL IS WAGERED BY A TINY GROUP OF VERY BIG GAMBLERS.
+THIS IS ALSO REFLECTED IN THE TELEPHONE BETTING WHERE FIVE PER CENT OF THE ACCOUNTS MAKE UP 20 PER CENT OF THE AMOUNT BET BY TELEPHONE,+
HE ADDED THAT ILLEGAL BOOKMAKERS COULD STILL FLOURISH BY CONFINING THEIR TARGET TO A SMALL GROUP OF VERY BIG PUNTERS, LARGELY ATTRACTED BY THE DISCOUNTS OFFERED.
+WITH A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO DEVISE SECRET METHODS OF OPERATING WHICH WILL BE HARD TO DETECT. THE VERY HEAVY PENALTIES PROPOSED IN THIS BILL ON BOTH THE ILLEGAL BOOKMAKER AND THE ILLEGAL BETTOR ARE MOST WELCOME AND WILL BE A GREAT DETERRENT,+ HE STRESSED.
FOUR OTHER UNOFFICIALS WHO ALSO SPOKE ON THE BILL WERE THE HON. T.S. LO, THE HON. JAMES WU, DR. THE HON. HENRY HU AND THE HON. OSWALD CHEUNG.
MR. LO SAID A LAW AGAINST GAMBLING WHICH COULD NOT BE ENFORCED ENCOURAGED CORRUPTION IN A MOST LUCRATIVE ACTIVITY.
HENCE, HE CONTINUED, MODERN LEGISLATION SHOULD BE FOCUSSED AGAINST ORGANISED EXPLOITATION OF GAMBLING AND SHOULD BE ENFORCEABLE.
J
+THE INTENTION OF THE GAMBLING BILL 1976 IS JUST THIS,+ HE SAID, +UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL HAVE STUDIED IT AND AS CONVENOR OF AD HOC GROUP I SHOULD REPORT THAT WE ARE GENERALLY
IN ACCORD WITH ITS PRINCIPAL AIMS.+
WHILE STRESSING THAT HE DID NOT LIKE OR APPROVE OF GAMBLING+, MR. WU SAID HE SUPPORTED THE PROVISIONS OF THE PROPOSED BILL WHICH SAFEGUARDED THE GAMBLERS FROM THE ILLEGAL SYNDICATES AND BOOKMAKERS.
HOWEVER, HE SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW GOVERNMENT'S VIEW ON THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL BOOKMAKERS FLOURISHING ON MACAU'S GREYHOUND RACING.
MR. WU WENT ON TO SAY THAT THERE WAS LITTLE SURPRISE THAT LOWER PRODUCTIVITY OCCURRED IN COUNTRIES WHERE GAMBLING, LEGAL OR OTHERWISE, WAS TOLERATED AND WIDESPREAD.
L