홍콩의 젊은 층이 소셜 미디어와 채팅 그룹을 통해 불법 온라인 도박에 점점 더 많이 노출되면서 도박 중독 문제가 심화하고 있다.
켄 찬(Ken Chan)은 18세부터 합법적인 경로를 통해 축구 경기에 베팅하기 시작했다. 몇 년 후, 월 1만 5천 홍콩달러를 벌던 그는 100% 성공률을 보장한다는 온라인 그룹에 이끌렸다.
2019년 그는 텔레그램 그룹에 가입해 불법 도박 플랫폼으로 연결됐다. 이곳에서는 홍콩 자키 클럽(Hong Kong Jockey Club)이 제공하는 경마, 축구, 마크 식스(Mark Six)를 넘어 온라인 카지노, 농구, e스포츠에도 베팅할 수 있었다.
찬은 해당 그룹에서 끊임없이 도박 이야기가 오가면서 도박을 멈추기 어려웠다고 말했다. 이 보도는 2026년 월드컵을 앞두고 불법 베팅의 새로운 추세를 살펴보는 시리즈의 첫 번째 부분이다.
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Hong Kong authorities have proposed a licensing regime for claw and pinball machines, capping play fees at HK$5 and prizes at HK$300, to tackle rising addiction cases among teenagers. The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau's measures, submitted to the Legislative Council's home affairs panel, include addiction warnings and address proliferation following a 2022 court ruling; lawmakers support the plan while urging industry balance.
Hong Kong's government has suspended its plan to launch legal basketball betting, citing the rise of prediction markets. Home and Youth Affairs Minister Alice Mak Mei-kuen said the decision considers local circumstances and evolving external conditions to protect public interest. Former lawmaker Doreen Kong Yuk-foon called for predicting technological influences in future policy papers.
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Residents in Hong Kong continue to use platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi for bets on politics and other topics even after official warnings.
Indonesian National Police arrested 321 people linked to an international online gambling syndicate at Hayam Wuruk Plaza Tower in West Jakarta on Saturday, May 9, 2026.
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Chinese police announced the extradition of Liu Ren from Cambodia. He is accused of founding an online gambling and telecom fraud group.
Hong Kong police reported 797 sexual offence cases against children under 17 in 2025, a 20 per cent increase from 663 cases in 2024. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said the government aims to complete legislative changes to strengthen protections within the current term.
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Hong Kong authorities have launched 18 joint operations this year against illicit refuelling stations amid an ongoing oil crisis triggered by the US-Israel war with Iran. Customs chief Chan Tsz-tat noted the practice has become more common in urban areas following a surge in complaints earlier this year, though it remains not widespread locally.