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What begins as a seemingly harmless small bet can rapidly spiral into insurmountable debt. For two young Hong Kong gamblers, falling into the trap of illegal gambling has cost them their families, shattered trust, and derailed their futures.
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One such case involves a 26-year-old man who is currently behind bars for money laundering after he resorted to selling his bank account to criminal syndicates to pay off mounting gambling debts.
In an interview with Sing Tao Probe, a sister publication of The Standard, his mother, surnamed Chan, described her son—identified only as "Man"—as having once been a well-behaved and cheerful young man.
However, their lives took a dark turn during the 2022 World Cup, when Man began placing small, recreational bets through online platforms.
Lured by diverse betting options and tempting promotional offers, Chan noted that her son quickly became severely addicted, rapidly drowning in approximately HK$300,000 of debt.
Chan recalled her devastation when her son finally sought help in 2023. Despite the shock, she helped him pay off the owed money, clinging to the hope that he had learned a painful lesson.
Tragically, within just six months, she discovered he had walked right back into the same trap, racking up another HK$300,000 in losses through illegal gambling networks.
Making matters worse, Man had borrowed not only from legitimate banks but also from illicit loan sharks.
This led to a campaign of harassment, including threatening phone calls and red paint being splashed across their front door.
As Chan was scrambling to keep the family afloat, a devastating discovery hit her when her son had sold all their valuables, including gold, cameras, and even her late husband's watch.
"Everything spun completely out of control. The disappointment and pain completely broke my trust in him," she confessed.
Misfortunes, however, rarely come singly. Chan noted that her debt-ridden son not only developed severe depression but was ultimately sentenced to eight months in prison for selling his bank account for funds.
For Chan, the sense of guilt was overwhelming as she witnessed her son's rapid downfall. The crisis eventually drove both mother and son to seek professional counseling at the Lutheran Chi Shing Centre's family support group.
She now uses her harrowing experience to warn others about the perils of illegal betting rings, urging, "Don’t take any chances. Once you are trapped in the cycle of gambling, it feels impossible to stop. You will only end up destroying yourself."
Myth of quick money
Another cautionary tale is that of 25-year-old Kelvin, whose initial addiction to mobile in-game purchases first pushed him into financial distress.
Struggling under immense financial and emotional pressure, Kelvin's mental health deteriorated significantly. He was eventually placed in a halfway house for two years under the guidance of a medical social worker.
Although Kelvin's mental health gradually improved, his limited wages made it incredibly difficult to repay his existing debts. Looking for a way out, he was soon introduced to an illegal online casino.
"People claimed they had won hundreds of thousands of dollars with just small bets. I started joining illegal baccarat games the moment I received my salary," he recalled.
He recounted winning HK$400,000 at his peak, but the desire to gain more led him to lose all the money.
“I honestly thought I could make a living out of gambling, but it only led me to mount even deeper debts,” he lamented.
Addiction by design
Industry insiders say illegal betting platforms are designed to hook gamblers with round-the-clock operations, dozens of bet types, and credit with no upfront payment.
"Gamblers are offered the illusion of placing bets without actually using their own money. They only realize it’s a trap when they are faced with huge debts and violent collection methods," one insider explained.
It has also been revealed that most of these illegal platforms enforce zero age verification, making them particularly dangerous and accessible to minors.
Rising number of underage gamblers
According to the government's Ping Wo Fund, established in 2003 to support four counseling centers for gambling disorders, more than 6,000 cases were received between 2020 and 2024.
Notably, more than 1,500 people sought help in 2024 alone – a 50 percent increase from 2023. A rise in assistance from minors has also been observed since 2023.
Sociologists stress that the severe harm caused by illegal gambling extends far beyond the gamblers and their families, placing a heavy financial burden on society as a whole. To date, the Hong Kong government has spent over HK$600 million funding gambling addiction counseling centers over the years.
World Cup illegal betting crackdown
As international football fever heats up, authorities are intensifying their crackdowns. Last Thursday, 29-year-old Hong Kong-born adult video actress Erena So Hoi-lam was arrested on suspicion of promoting or facilitating bookmaking.
Alleged to have acted as an ambassador and promoter for an illicit betting platform, she has since been released on bail and is required to report back to the police in late July.
It is understood that the website involved in her case is registered overseas, offering a wide array of illicit services including sports betting, digital slot machines, and e-sports gambling.
