เค
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1992
WE
"IF ON THE ONE HAND NEW FORMS OF GAMBLING ARE PERMITTED, ARE CRITICISED, VILIFIED AND ABUSED FOR ALLOWING THIS INDECENT AND IMMORAL ACTIVITY TO PROLIFERATE.
"ON THE OTHER HAND, IF WE DO NOTHING AND ILLEGAL GAMBLING FLOURISHES, THE GOVERNMENT IS DENOUNCED FOR NOT BEING EFFECTIVE IN CONTROLLING THIS ACTIVITY," MR SUEN SAID.
THE SOLUTION? HE BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS CAUSE FOR MODERATION
IN THIS AS IN ALL AREAS OF LIFE.
"THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY IS PRAGMATIC: BY ALLOWING PROPERLY OPERATED AND HONEST GAMES TO EXIST IN THE TERRITORY, THE MAN-IN-THE-STREET IS PROTECTED FROM THE WORST PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ILLEGAL GAMBLING SUCH AS LOAN SHARKING AND DEBT.
"THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES CAN DEAL SEVERELY WITH ANY ILLEGAL GAMBLING, SECURE IN A KNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS NO COGENT NEED FOR THESE ACTIVITIES," HE EXPLAINED.
COMMENTING ON THE CURRENT DEBATE ON THE PROLIFERATION GAMBLING IN HONG KONG, MR SUEN SAID IT WAS SPARKED MODIFY THE OPERATION OF THE MARK SIX LOTTERY.
DESCRIBING THE MARK SIX LOTTERY AS A EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL ANTI-GAMBLING DEVICE" MR INTRODUCED IN 1975 SPECIFICALLY TO COMBAT "TSE FA".
1
OF
BY PROPOSALS TO
"SOPHISTICATED AND SUEN SAID IT WAS
**
SYNDICATES EARNED
AT THAT TIME, MR SUEN ESTIMATED THAT "TSE FA OVER $30,000 A DRAW, WITH UP TO THREE DRAWS BEING HELD EVERYDAY OF THE WEEK.
MARK SIX'S EFFECT, HE SAID, WAS ESSENTIALLY ERADICATED WITHIN THREE MONTHS.
DRAMATIC WITH "TSE
FA"
HE BELIEVED THAT THE PUBLIC TOOK TO THE MARK SIX LOTTERY VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE OF THE MUCH LARGER PAYOUTS, ITS CONVENIENCE AND BECAUSE THE PEOPLE HAD CONFIDENCE THAT THEY WOULD RECEIVE THEIR WINNINGS.
TO MAINTAIN ITS EFFECTIVENESS AGAINST ILLEGAL GAMBLING, HE SAID THE MARK SIX LOTTERY MUST KEEP PACE WITH DEVELOPMENTS.
ACCORDINGLY, THE LOTTERY HAS BEEN MODIFIED OVER MAINTAIN ITS POPULARITY.
THE YEARS TO
MR SUEN SAID
TURNING TO THE CURRENT POSITION OF THE LOTTERY, THE JOCKEY CLUB, AS THE LOTTERIES BOARD'S AGENT, RECENTLY SUBMITTED PROPOSAL TO THE GOVERNMENT TO EXPAND THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF SALES OUTLETS FOR THE TICKETS BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL OFF-COURSE BETTING CENTRES INTO CONVENIENCE STORES, SUPERMARKETS AND OTHER SUCH LOCATIONS.
/"THESE PROPOSALS