Freebies used to lure away punters

Staff reporter

Illegal gambling operators are increasingly using intermediaries to distribute promotional items, such as tissue paper and nail clippers, that advertise illegal gambling websites near Jockey Club betting branches this horse racing season.

Sources reveal that these unauthorized bookmakers offer intermediaries commissions ranging from 20 percent to 40 percent of the bets placed by gamblers in a bid to entice away the club's customers.

Some operators misleadingly label themselves as "licensed" or use terms like "official" in their promotional materials to deceive the public and attract bettors.

On the first day of last year's horse racing season on September 8, illegal gambling personnel were spotted handing out tissue paper and nail clippers near two of the club's branches in Yuen Long to lure potential gamblers.

Each tissue packet prominently featured a message in Chinese promising gamblers 100 percent payouts on bets with the website and that they would only lose 86 percent of the bets that they place.

The nail clippers also displayed the website's address.

Similar giveaways were distributed at various betting branches on race days, including wet tissue packages outside a betting center in Hung Hom in November.

These packages boasted promotions such as "New customers receive a 30 percent bonus on their first deposit and a 20 percent bonus daily," alongside the website address and a QR code for easy access.

The website promotes eight forms of gambling - "fishing," horse racing, slots, sports betting, live casinos, chess, gaming and lotteries, along with incentives like daily cash rewards for logging in, all designed to attract users and encourage daily betting.