Hong Kong approved a bill to expand regulated sports wagering to basketball, the so called “Betting  Duty (Amendment) Bill 2025” – these are the five key aspects of the bill:

• Authorization: The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs can license companies to conduct basketball betting, but only if the company and its directors are considered fit and proper. Licences are time-limited and subject to strict conditions on advertising, credit use, and youth protection.

• Basketball betting duty: A new tax is introduced at 50% of net stake receipts, payable by licensed operators. The Legislative Council retains the power to adjust this rate by resolution.

• Net stake receipts: Defined as bets accepted minus dividends payable within the same charging period, with adjustments for unclaimed winnings and hedging bets. Charging periods normally follow Hong Kong’s fiscal year but may be varied by agreement.

• Provisional payments and enforcement: Operators must make monthly provisional duty payments within 15 days of month-end. Late payments may lead to surcharges of up to 5%, rising to 10% if unpaid after six months, and recovery as a civil debt.

• Hedging and ticket controls: Licensed operators may hedge by placing bets outside Hong Kong to manage risk, but only under an approved hedging policy. Only the licensee or its agents can issue basketball betting tickets, with violations carrying fines.

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