The blitz by Greek Mythology Casino and Stanley Ho's Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (SJM) appears to skate the edge of the authority's ban on broadcast advertisements for commercial betting and exploit a loophole in the Gambling Ordinance.

Two months ago, the authority warned TVB's Jade and ATV's Home channels against broadcasting ads for the Mona Lisa gaming hall at SJM's flagship Casino Lisboa. Both channels were told to ``observe more closely the relevant codes of practice on the broadcast of advertisements for unacceptable products or services,'' including commercial betting.

The authority noted that the Mona Lisa ads promoted a card ``primarily used for buying chips for betting'' and telephone hotlines that promoted a betting service.

The Lunar New Year ad for SJM, broadcast during evening programs on TVB Jade, is more subtle. It briefly flashes an image of the exterior of Casino Lisboa, displays the name of the casino operator and shows managing director Stanley Ho personally offering viewers his Lunar New Year wishes.

However, viewers unfamiliar with Ho, SJM or the Lisboa would find the ads indistinguishable from other seasonal corporate promotions.

The ads for Greek Mythology, a new casino operated by SJM in New Century Hotel, are bolder. They are being shown on ATV Home even during daytime hours, when restrictions on betting ads are tighter than at night when children are presumed to be asleep.

The ads are much longer than SJM's and show scenes of the casino lobby, a fountain outside the entrance, dancers from a casino floorshow and an attached childcare center.

The authority has so far received one complaint against the SJM ads and another about Greek Mythology's.

A spokesman for evangelical group Gambling Watch, which lodged the complaint against the Mona Lisa ads, said he was unfamiliar with the casinos' promotions, but that the group remains opposed to all such ads. ``It's against the license of the television operators in Hong Kong,'' he said.

The Legislative Council codified restrictions on betting advertising when it amended the Gambling Ordinance three years ago.

But a Home Affairs Department spokeswoman said the law bans promotion of the placing of bets from Hong Kong with anyone, anywhere, except the Hong Kong Jockey Club, but not the promotion of bets placed and received outside Hong Kong. ``The casinos are operated in Macau and the gambler has to be physically present there to participate in betting,'' she said. ``Therefore, it's not illegal to promote such activities in Hong Kong.''

Angus Ho, a spokesman for Greek Mythology, said the casino's ad was placed with ATV Home because of its reach into Guangdong.

zach.coleman@globalchina.com