Soccer betting

Background

1.    The Hong Kong Jockey Club is not a profit-making body, but it is something of a public utility. All the money it makes is injected into the public purse in one form or another. It is also Hong Kong's biggest taxpayer.

2.    The legalization of soccer betting has aroused a lot of debates and people have had opposed opinions.

3.    Previously football enthusiasts bet on results either through overseas bookmakers or local triad-controlled ones. Hong Kong is vulnerable to online operators outside Hong Kong who offer tax-free betting.

4.    Anti-gambling activists, who are chiefly teachers, educators, social workers, religious workers and some legislators, remain unconvinced that soccer betting could bring about any benefits to society.

Arguments For Soccer Betting

1.    The Jockey Club is now providing a legal avenue for soccer betting. Some people believe that asking the Jockey Club to act as the bookmaker is better than wasting enormous resources on combating illegal but popular gambling activities.

2.    Legalization of soccer betting would at least ensure that profits go to the Government and charities rather than fatten criminals' wallets.

3.    Legalization of soccer betting can also eliminate criminal activities involved with illegal bookmaking and betting.

4.    Tax revenue from Jockey Club betting on racing and the Mark Six lottery has been decreasing and  legalization of soccer betting can help the Government to get more tax.

6.    The officials in Hong Kong have claimed about the impact of football betting upon youngsters is over-exaggerated. Youngsters would not place bets on horse-racing or play mahjong simply because their parents do so. Moral standards are not set by any piece of ordinance but by family education.

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Arguments Against  Soccer Betting

1.    Soccer betting will link sports and gambling together. An increase in the number of social problems, especially among the youngsters, will result.

2.    Legalizing soccer betting cannot stop betting offshore through the Internet, which may be more convenient.

3.  More people, who have never tried soccer betting, are now tempted by the government to do so.

4.    Legalizing soccer betting would give a negative message to  people that the Hong Kong government  has no other measures to combat illegal soccer betting. In fact, some people may prefer the government to spend more resources to check the crime and tighten the anti-gambling laws, but not to admit defeat by legalizing it.

5.     We should not be so short-sighted in focusing on revenue without considering the possible social devastation. A new gambling generation would emerge and the money spent on helping troubled families might outweigh the revenue from betting duties.

6.    Students are attracted to place bets, which is just opposite to our Chief Executive, Mr Tung's promise to build up a healthy environment for youth development.

7.    It is really ridiculous to say that gambling will help  promote football in Hong Kong. It will only convey the message that success can be achieved through luck rather than hard work. It would also fuel people's wish for "fast money" and undermine the efforts to nurture positive values in the younger generation.

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Read Other People's Opinions

http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/199912/13/1213158.htm

http://aer2.sbc.edu.hk/~cls/new_page_12.htm

http://www.hkedcity.net/english/creative-corner/view_file.phtml?file_id=6610

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