THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1984
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NEED FOR CHECK ON GAMBLING STRESSED
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THE HUGE AMOUNTS WAGERED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE IN HORSE RACING BETTING EXPLAINS WHY THE GOVERNMENT REGARDS THE REGULATION OF GAMBLING AS SUCH AN IMPORTANT SOCIAL ISSUE.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS MR DENIS BRAY WHEN HE ADDRESSED THE PARI-MUTUEL CONVENTION DINNER OF THE JOCKEY CLUB TONIGHT (THURSDAY).
+IT WOULD BE VERY FOOLISH FOR ANY GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG TO TRY TO SUPPRESS ALL THIS ACTIVITY. ANY ATTEMPT TO DO SO WOULD ONLY LEAD TO THE WIDESPREAD RESURGENCE OF CLANDESTINE ILLEGAL GAMBLING, CORRUPTION, AND VIOLENCE.+
+1 DO NOT SEE ANY LIKELIHOOD OF THIS IN THE SHORT TERM OR THE LONG TERM. BETTING ON HORSE RACES HAS BECOME PART OF THE LIFE STYLE OF HONG KONG. AND THE PRESERVATION OF OUR LIFE STYLE IS ONE THING WE ARE GUARANTEED IN THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.+
MR BRAY RECALLED THAT BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT PASSED LEGISLATION IN 1973 TO ALLOW OFF COURSE BETTING CENTRES, THE COLOSSAL SCALE OF ILLEGAL OFF COURSE BETTING ON HORSE RACING AND ON DOG RACING IN MACAU AND THE ABUNDANCE OF ALL SORTS OF OTHER FORMS OF ILLEGAL GAMBLING - MAINLY TSE FA - WERE VERY DAMAGING TO SOCIETY.
+ THE REFORM OF THE LAW WHICH INTRODUCED THE LEGAL OFF COURSE BETTING CENTRES COINCIDED WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TOUGH AND EFFECTIVE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION. AT THE SAME TIME WE INTRODUCED THE MARK SIX LOTTERIES.+
MR BRAY POINTED OUT THAT ONCE THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK HAD BEEN INTRODUCED THE GOVERNMENT STOOD BACK AND DEVOLVED THE DETAILED REGULATING OF BETTING ON HORSE RACING TO THE JOCKEY CLUB.
HE NOTED THAT THOUGH ILLEGAL GAMBLING HAD NOT BEEN WIPED OUT TOTALLY AS SHOWN BY POLICE OPERATION RESULTS, THE SCENE TODAY WAS FAR REMOVED FROM THAT OF TEN OR FIFTEEN YEARS AGO.
+ THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MASSIVE ILLEGAL GAMBLING OPERATIONS AND WIDESPREAD CORRUPTION OF THE EARLY SEVENTIES HAS BROUGHT ABOUT A SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION. THIS TRANSFORMATION HAS BEEN ACHIEVED BY A PARTNERSHIP, A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE CLUB.
+TODAY THE LEGAL OFF COURSE BETTING CENTRES ARE OPEN AND ABOVE BOARD THOUGH NOT OSTENTATIOUS. I THINK IT IS PROBABLE THAT MORE PEOPLE USE THEM THAN DID THE OLD ILLEGAL OUTLETS BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE SET MORE REALISTIC LIMITS TO THEIR BETTING MAINLY BECAUSE THERE ARE NO CREDIT ARRANGEMENTS, + MR BRAY CONCLUDED.
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