Wednesday, April 26, 2006

As reported by the (China) Standard: "The Hong Kong Jockey Club has
exaggerated the amount of horse-racing bets placed with illegal bookmakers
to win legislators' support for the proposed betting duty reform, an
anti-gaming watchdog has alleged. "With Jockey Club chairman Ronald Arculli
earlier hoping the proposed betting duty reform could help the club
recapture between 10 and 20 percent of the HK$50 billion to HK$60 billion in
horse-racing bets now said to be placed with illegal bookies, Hong Kong
Gambling Watch said Sunday the figures provided by the club are 'inaccurate'
and 'unrealistic.'

"Group convenor Reverend Wu Chi-wai said a gambling study conducted by Hong
Kong University last year showed that just 0.4 percent of the local adult
population - or about 20,000 people - placed bets on horse racing through
illegal bookies, while soccer betting receipts confiscated by police last
year amounted to HK$10 million. He wondered how such a huge amount in
illegal bets could be attributed to so few punters, as the club claimed..."