A gambling counseling service in Hong Kong has called for increased awareness about the risks and negative consequences of gambling among the youth. i-Change, operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Church Service of Hong Kong, made the call after it found that 41 percent of postsecondary students in the Chinese special administrative region have gambled in the first quarter of 2023.
Hong Kong Students Betting Up to HK$5,000
The majority of those surveyed played Mark Six lottery (63.5%), while others played mahjong (38%). A further 33% said they have placed bets on football and horse racing. According to the poll, 13% also reported gambling at casinos in the first quarter of the year, with 7% playing the card game baccarat.
Some of the respondents reported placing bets starting at HK$500 (11%) all the way up to over HK$5,000 (3%).
Terence Mok Wai-ho, a social worker at i-Change, said increased gambling activities among youngsters could result in them incurring huge debts and resorting to online lending.
Calls for More Awareness About Gambling Risks
Mok warned students not to transact with so-called online lending agents as their terms and process are not always transparent. As a result, debtors end up facing bigger financial problems. Mok said the government must do more in terms of educating young people about the negative effects of gambling.
Paul Wong Wai-ching, Associate Professor for the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong, raised similar concerns, saying gambling addiction could lead to suicide.
