XN000022-1975-07-11 — Page 4

FRIDAY, JULY 11, 1975

NEW LOTTERY PROPOSED

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THE OPERATION OF LOTTERIES IN HONG KONG WILL BE STREAMLINED IF A BILL PUBLISHED TODAY IS APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE BILL SEEKS TO SET UP A HONG KONG LOTTERIES BOARD WHICH WILL ORGANISE AND CONDUCT REGULAR LOTTERIES.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT A NEW TYPE OF LOTTERY WAS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. IT WAS INTENDED THAT THE LOTTERY WOULD PROBABLY BE HELD ON A WEEKLY BASIS WITH THE PARTICIPANTS BEING ABLE TO SELECT THEIR OWN NUMBERS. IT MIGHT BE SIMILAR TO THE QUARTET SYSTEM, BUT DETAILS OF THE LOTTERIES WOULD HAVE TO BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD.

THE LOTTERIES BOARD WILL COMPRISE SEVEN MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR. FOUR OF THE MEMBERS WILL BE STEWARDS OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB WHICH WILL BE RUNNING THE LOTTERIES.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS PROPOSED THAT THE ACCOUNTANT GENERAL, THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT LOTTERIES MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WOULD FILL THE OTHER THREE PLACES.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD WOULD BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR FROM AMONG THE SEVEN MEMBERS.

THE BILL, KNOWN AS THE BETTING DUTY (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL 1975, STIPULATES THAT AFTER THE DEDUCTION OF BETTING DUTY NOT LESS THAN 80 PER CENT OF THE PROCEEDS OF THE LOTTERIES WILL BE ALLOCATED IN PRIZES. THE DUTY HAS BEEN SET AT 25 PER CENT.

ALL SURPLUS PROCEEDS, AFTER EXPENSES, WILL GO TO SOCIAL WELFARE PROJECTS THROUGH THE LOTTERIES FUND AS IS THE CASE AT PRESENT.

THE BILL ALSO PROVIDES FOR THE COLONIAL SECRETARY TO TAKE OVER THE FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE IN AUTHORISING THE BOARD TO CONDUCT LOTTERIES.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE PRESENCE OF LARGE-SCALE ILLEGAL GAMBLING IN HONG KONG HAD MEANT THAT THE POLICE HAD TO DIVERT A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF THEIR EFFORT TO COMBAT THE PROBLEM AND THIS TIED UP MANPOWER WHICH COULD BE MORE USEFULLY EMPLOYED IN OTHER AREAS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME. ILLEGAL GAMBLING ACTIVITIES ALSO PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR CORRUPTION.

+UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT IS OBVIOUSLY IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST TO TRY TO REDUCE ILLEGAL GAMBLING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AND THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS IS TO PROVIDE CONTROLLED FORMS AS AN ALTERNATIVE.+

COMMENTING ON THE BILL, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE INTRODUCTION LAST YEAR BY THE JOCKEY CLUB OF OFF-COURSE BETTING ON HORSE RACING HAD DISCOURAGED THE USE OF ILLEGAL BOOKMAKERS. +THIS LATEST PROPOSAL IS INTENDED TO FURTHER EXTEND CONTROLLED FORMS OF BETTING SO THAT CONTINUED PRESSURE CAN BE APPLIED ON ILLEGAL GAMBLING.+

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