‘Harder to quit than drugs’: illegal online gambling fuels Hongkongers’ growing addiction

In the first of a two-part series tracing the new trends of illegal betting in Hong Kong amid excitement over the World Cup 2026, Edith Lin looks at how social media has become a new channel pushing the youth to engage in unlawful bookmaking activities.

Ken Chan* started betting on football matches when he was 18.

He started betting through legalised channels, spending a third of his income for a few years.

But he was soon enticed to bet on illegal platforms with their promises of tips and 100 per cent wins.

Chan, who earned around HK$15,000 (US$1,900) each month, said he was initially only looking for betting tips online. But he was soon lured into Telegram groups that offered recommendations and promised a 100 per cent success rate, leading him to illegal betting platforms in 2019.

It opened a new world for him, as he could wager on online casinos, basketball and esports matches, with high odds and countless types of bets, whereas the Jockey Club, the sole authorised betting operator, offered only horse racing, football matches and the Mark Six lottery.

“The Telegram groups have made me gamble more. The only common topic in the groups is gambling. Everyone gambles … When you listen to all the advice and tips, you will be placing bets on dozens of matches. It is difficult to detach oneself,” Chan said.