Hong Kong Ordinances

GAMBLING ORDINANCE - SECT 2

Interpretation

(Past version on 01/04/2003).
(Past version on 31/05/2002).
(Past version on 01/07/1997).
(Past version on 30/06/1997).

In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwise requires-

"betting slip" (投注單) includes the whole or any part of a document or
thing, or a copy or other reproduction of the whole or any part of a document
or thing, which, either alone or in conjunction or combination with-

   (a)  any other document or thing or a copy or other reproduction of any
        other document or thing; or

   (b)  part of any document or thing or a copy or other reproduction of part
        of any document or thing, evidences the soliciting, receiving,
        negotiating or settling of a bet; (Added 53 of 1981 s. 2. Amended 42
        of 1990 s. 2)

"bookmaking" (收受賭注) means the soliciting, receiving, negotiating or
settling of a bet by way of trade or business whether personally or by letter,
telephone, telegram or on-line medium (including the service commonly known as
the Internet) or by any other means; (Amended 42 of 1990 s. 2; 12 of 2002 s.
2)

"contract for differences" (差價合約) means an agreement the purpose or
effect of which is to obtain a profit or avoid a loss by reference to
fluctuations in the value or price of property of any description or in an
index or other factor designated for that purpose in the agreement; (Added 84
of 1993 s. 2)

"gambling" (賭博) includes gaming, betting and bookmaking;

"gambling equipment" (賭博設備) includes playing cards, dice, balls,
counters, dominoes, tiles, betting slips, lottery tickets, and any other thing
which is devised or used or maintained in or for the purposes of or in
connection with gambling or the operation of a gambling establishment;

"gambling establishment" (賭場) includes any premises or place, whether or
not the public or a section of the public is entitled or permitted to have
access thereto, opened, kept or used, whether on one occasion or more than one
occasion, for the purposes of or in connection with unlawful gambling or an
unlawful lottery; (Amended L.N. 184 of 1992)

"game" (博彩遊戲) means a game of chance and a game of chance and skill
combined and a pretended game of chance or chance and skill combined, and also
means any game whatever in which-

   (a)  a bank is kept by one or more of the players exclusively of the
        others; or

   (b)  the chances of the game are not equally favourable to all the players,
        including among the players, the banker or other person by whom the
        game is managed or against whom the players stake, play or bet;

"gaming" (博彩) means the playing of or at any game for winnings in money or
other property whether or not any person playing the game is at risk of losing
any money or other property;

"lottery" (獎券活動) includes-

   (a)  a raffle;

   (b)  a sweepstake;

   (c)  tse fa (字花);

   (d)  hung piu (紅票);

   (e)  po piu (舖票);

   (f)  any competition for money or other property success in which-

        (i)    involves guessing or estimating the results of future events,
               or of past events the results of which are not generally known;
               or

        (ii)   does not depend to a substantial degree upon the exercise of
               skill by the competitors; and

   (g)  any game, method, device or scheme for distributing or allotting
        prizes by lot or chance, whether promoted, conducted or managed in or
        outside Hong Kong; (Amended 38 of 1994 s. 2)

"owner" (擁有人) in relation to premises means any person holding the
premises direct from the Government, whether under lease, licence or
otherwise, any mortgagee in possession and any person receiving the rent of
the premises, solely or with another and on his behalf or that of any person
or who would receive the same if such premises were let to a tenant, and,
where such owner as above defined cannot be found or ascertained or is absent
from Hong Kong or is under disability, also means the agent of such owner;
(Amended 29 of 1998 s. 105)

"place" (場所) includes any ship, aircraft or vehicle, and any spot on land
or water;

"private gain" (私有收益) does not include the private gain of any
charitable institution or trust of a public character exempt from tax under
section  88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance ( Cap 112);

"private premises" (私人處所) means premises to which the public have
access

(whether on payment or otherwise) only by permission of the owner, tenant or
occupier of the premises;

"racing club" (賽會) means any club, association or other body of persons
established for the purpose of promoting and conducting fixed odds betting or
pari-mutuel betting and for the purpose of promoting cash-sweeps under the
authority of the Betting Duty Ordinance ( Cap 108); (Amended 17 of 2006 s. 23)

"racing club premises" (賽會處所) means any land or premises used by a
racing  club for or in connection with the purposes of a racing club;

"tape recording" (錄音帶) means any tape, disc, sound track or other device
in which sounds are embodied so as to be capable with or without the aid of
some other equipment of being reproduced therefrom;

"tenant" (租客) includes sub-tenant and "tenancy" (租賃) includes
sub-tenancy;

"ticket" (彩票), in relation to a lottery or proposed lottery, includes the
whole or any part of a document or thing, or a copy or other reproduction of
the whole or any part of a document or thing, which, either alone or in
conjunction or combination with-

   (a)  any other document or thing or a copy or other reproduction of any
        other document or thing; or

   (b)  part of any document or thing or a copy or other reproduction of part
        of any document or thing, evidences the claim of any person to
        participate in the lottery;

"trade promotion competition" (推廣生意的競賽) means a competition or
other scheme promoted, conducted or managed for the purpose of promoting a
trade or business or the sale of any product; (Amended L.N. 110 of 1980; 5 of
2002 s. 407)

"betting slip" (投注單)

"bookmaking" (收受賭注)

"contract for differences" (差價合約)

"gambling" (賭博)

"gambling equipment" (賭博設備)

"gambling establishment" (賭場)

"game" (博彩遊戲)

"gaming" (博彩)

"lottery" (獎券活動)

"owner" (擁有人)

"place" (場所)

"private gain" (私有收益)

"private premises" (私人處所)

"racing club" (賽會)

"racing club premises" (賽會處所)

"tape recording" (錄音帶)

"tenant" (租客)

"tenancy" (租賃)

"ticket" (彩票)

"trade promotion competition" (推廣生意的競賽)