Bets Ban to Boost HK-Macao Ferry Service

Home>>Business

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, June 02, 2002

Bets Ban to Boost HK-Macao Ferry Service

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

A Hong Kong ordinance that outlaws all offshore gambling will boost ferry business between the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, said managing director Pansy Ho of Shun Tak (Holdings), operator of such service.

Fearing prosecution for using prohibited offshore betting services, gamblers will turn to legal betting in Macao, she was quoted by a local newspaper Saturday as saying.

"I expect the ordinance to help stimulate passenger numbers on our TurboJet as more people will prefer going to Macao for legal gambling," Ho said.

She said the Macao Gaming Company -- of which Macao casino magnate Stanley Ho, her father, is the managing director -- would not engage in illegal gambling activities in Hong Kong.

Macao's gambling interests rely heavily on telephone or the Internet bets from Hong Kong, but the new law amendment will make punters in this way liable to heavy penalties, stipulating that anyone who bets with unauthorized gambling operators based inside or outside the Hong Kong territory, via the Internet or other technologies, should be committing a criminal offense.

Francis Tam Pak Yuen, secretary for economy and finance, has said the Macao SAR government will give a helping hand to the gambling sector to maintain normal management and stabilize employment if necessary.

Questions?Comments? Click here

WTO Entry to Bring China an Annual Increase of 3 Million Employment ( 8 Messages)

Lee Kuan Yew: China to Overtake the US in 2050 ( 132 Messages)

US Taiwan Acts Jeopardize Sino-US Ties: Analysis ( 3 Messages)

Clinton Reaps US$250,000 in 30-Minute Speech in Shenzhen ( 53 Messages)

Miss Russia Wins Miss Universe Title, Miss China Third ( 3 Messages)