Hong Kong, China: Betting on sports events in "prediction markets" is considered illegal gambling and should cease the promotion of new gambling projects

By: rootdata|2026/04/17 16:42:01

According to Hong Kong Radio, the Hong Kong government has decided to stop promoting basketball gambling projects. The Secretary for Home Affairs and Youth Affairs, Mak Mei-juan, stated in an interview with this station that the information collected by the authorities shows that the "prediction market" has developed rapidly in recent years, with monthly trading volume increasing from less than $100 million two years ago to over $13 billion last year, of which nearly 40% of the transactions are related to sports. The authorities are concerned that if new gambling projects are promoted at this time, it will lead to greater public concern and even participation in illegal gambling in the "prediction market." Therefore, it is believed that research should be conducted first before deciding on the next steps, and the promotion of new gambling projects should be halted for now.

Mak Mei-juan stated that the existing regulated gambling projects have established a more mature monitoring and management system, which can help control risks. However, due to the uncertainty of the "prediction market," as a responsible government, there is a need to conduct research to understand the impact of the "prediction market" and its prevalence in Hong Kong. She also mentioned that the government has always maintained close contact with the Hong Kong Jockey Club, as the club has a rigorous monitoring system to oversee illegal gambling situations, and there are experts specifically targeting the fight against illegal gambling. The government will cooperate with the Jockey Club to obtain professional advice, allowing the authorities to implement measures specifically aimed at illegal gambling.

Mak Mei-juan reiterated that the government's consistent policy is not to encourage gambling, and betting on sports projects in the "prediction market" is considered illegal gambling. The authorities will strengthen public education to help citizens understand the harms of gambling and refrain from participating in illegal gambling.

Most crypto traders lose money not because of bad luck, but because they misunderstand how the market really works. From Freedom of Money to the rise and fall of Sam Bankman-Fried, they highlight a key divide in crypto: those who build the market and those who chase it. This reading guide explores essential books that reveal how narrative, regulation, capital, and psychology shape long-term success in the crypto industry.

The Risk Management Core Team has just been ousted, and Aave is now facing a $200 million default.

rsETH attack is just the tip of the iceberg, Aave is an approved insolvency

The $293 million bug wasn't in the code; so, what's the deal with the "DVN Configuration Bug," which led to the largest hack of 2026?

「Audit Passed」 these four words do not cover the location of the parameter.

a16z on Recruitment: How to Choose Between Crypto-Native and Traditional Talent?

Is it someone with encryption experience or someone with outstanding quick learning ability?

The biggest DeFi heist of 2026, hackers easily took advantage of Aave

A fake news story swindled 292 million dollars: Kelp DAO's cross-chain bridge was drained in 46 minutes.

Will Robots Replace Humans? He Says No!

Robots will not replace humans, but will rewrite the division of labor

Binance Coin's Price Skyrockets 15x to All-Time High, Saved by Three Bull Market Lifelines

Bringing Back the Long-Awaited Meme Coin Volatility

The organization has accessed the prediction market, but is stuck at the third stage

The proportion of sports categories on Kalshi is at a historical low, shifting from "entertainment trading" to "information and risk tools."

Head of crypto VC collective shrinks: a16z crypto fund management scale plummets by 40%, Multicoin cut in half

The only one experiencing counter-cyclical growth is Haun Ventures, which hit the jackpot in the stablecoin sector with BVNK being acquired by Mastercard.

Arthur Hayes New Post: It's "No Trade" Time Now

When volatility truly spirals out of control and liquidity is forcefully unleashed, the market will re-enter a tradable phase.

Claude Opus 4.7 Review: Is It Worthy of the Title of Strongest Model?

Opus 4.7 is a surgical, precision-based release with clear trade-offs.

DWF In-Depth Report: AI Outperforms Humans in Yield Farming Optimization in DeFi, But Complex Transactions Still Lag Behind 5x

Across agents, model selection and risk management have the most significant impact on transaction performance.

The financial tricks of the crypto giant Kraken

After Coinbase, several other cryptocurrency exchanges have entered the capital market. Will Wall Street still pay a premium for the same story?

When proactive market makers start to take initiative

After Binance announced the regulation of proactive market makers at the end of March, proactive market makers began to take action.