Can I win real money in Hong Kong casinos?

Hong Kong’s gambling regulations are quite strict; only the Hong Kong Jockey Club is entitled to provide gambling facilities. You can earn real money by wagering on them. Besides, you can also play in online casinos for real money.

How long does it require to get my winnings credited?

Most of the popular payment methods are accessible for the punters from Hong Kong. If the punters use e-wallets like WeChat Pay, Union Pay, AliPay, and Bitcoins, the withdrawal will not take much time. But, using bank transfers and credit cards, it can take 3 to 5 business days.

Are there any withdrawal fees for Hong Kong players?

Players, interested in withdrawal through a wire or bank transfers, may have to provide a small number of fees. But, while using e-wallets and credit cards, Hong Kong gamblers don’t need to provide any fees. But, if they are interested in playing with offshore casinos, they need to go through all terms and conditions.

How safe is it to play online casinos in Hong Kong?

Legitimate gambling offerings from the Hong Kong Jockey Club are entirely safe. But, if you want to gamble with an offshore online casino, kindly check their regulatory license, security measures, terms, and conditions.

What are the payment methods available for online casinos in Hong Kong?

For playing online, punters can use e-wallets like WeChat Pay, Union Pay, AliPay, and more. Besides, they can use credit or debit cards and even Bitcoins.

Can I use Hong Kong dollars at Hong Kong casinos?

If you want to play Mark Six lottery, pari-mutuel bets on horse racing, and fixed odds betting on foreign football sports events, etc., you can easily play with Hong Kong dollars. For playing in the online casinos, find out one that accepts the currency.

Which banking options can I use?

For faster and safer deposits and withdrawals, you can use e-wallets like Paypal, Neteller, Skrill, WeChat, and more.

Best Online Casinos in Hong Kong: Top 10 Casino Websites 2024

Online casinos in Hong Kong

Due to Chinese influence, different martial art forms are highly practiced in the territory. Besides, English colonialism in the late 19th century had introduced Hong Kong to Western athletics such as table tennis, cycling, swimming, badminton, and more. Horse racing is still one of the sports that receive the most spectators at the ground.

Gambling had found its legitimate roots in Hong Kong when the British Hong Kong government preferred to ignore all the rules set for prohibiting gambling in Hong Kong. Horse racing was one of the activities that were favorites of British imperialists. Thus, gambling remained a pleasure method of the passing time of Hong Kong people. However, in 1977, the Gambling Ordinance was enacted with a motive to regulate Hong Kong gambling. Now, though social gambling is allowed in Hong Kong, people here can gamble in only authorized outlets while adhering to the regulations. However, they can gamble with offshore online casinos.

Although gambling is mostly illegal in this land, money wagering on games is one of the most favorite pastimes for both Mainland China and Hong Kong. The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, founded in 1884, is a legitimate non-profit organization in Hong Kong. The organization holds a monopoly for serving Mark Six lottery, parimutuel bets on horse racing, and even fixed odds betting on foreign football sports events. According to the reports, in 2019, Hong Kong has managed the US $12.7 million per race on average, which was 6 times more than France.

Gambling in Hong Kong is strictly restricted, but offshore online casino sites do not have any specific regulations for them. Thus, these online casino platforms have become adored spots, where punters can play and enjoy a variety of gambling games. In these platforms, games like video slot machines, blackjacks, craps, roulette, bingo, and mahjong are highly played with real money.

Gambling in Hong Kong is strictly restricted and regulated by the Hong Kong SAR government. And, being a sole provider of legal gambling services, it also regulates the operations of the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club. Besides, for wagering on legal sports betting options, bettors need to be at least 18 years old.

Offshore online casinos are not restricted in Hong Kong. Hence, punters can fully utilize this opportunity. However, before getting an account in an offshore casino entity, they are recommended to be informed about the casino’s license and other terms and conditions.

History of gambling in Hong Kong

In 1841, Britain, along with other foreign powers, defeated China in the Opium War, and the land of China became a British colony. To establish a new and western-style government, the British appointed local governors. Way before this British invasion, gambling was popular among indigenous Chinese people. The new British government did not ban any gambling activity and infused horse racing as a new inclusion.

In 1845, a small racecourse was constructed in Pokfulam, which started horse racing. With the racing action in Happy Valley, Hong Kong, horse racing became more prevalent. In 1858, the then Governor granted permission for local betting, despite objections from a group of citizens.

In 1871, the progression of gambling in Hong Kong faced a halt, since public gambling in gaming houses were banned. Then, in 1884, the Hong Kong Jockey Club was established as a government-regulated non-profit organization. The organization was there to contribute a notable amount of their yearly revenue for social welfare.

In 1956, the Hong Kong police force legalized Mahjong business, which allowed the game operators to offer organized games to the public. Besides, six off-course betting venues were opened in 1974. In the year of 1975, Hong Kong’s Mark Six lottery gained a legal label, although it was preexisted over 32 years.

In 2003, the Hong Kong Jockey Club introduced soccer betting for eliminating the illegal form of it. And in 2009, more racing events were added to a horse racing season, and broadcasters included 15 more races in their offerings.

Are there any land based casinos in Hong Kong?

Land-based casinos are prohibited in Hong Kong. But, it is also a fact that there are cruise ships, offering fully operational casinos. These ships go out to the international waters before taking any bets. Cruzes like celebrity Millennium Cruise, Silversea Shadow Casino, and Holland America Cruise Line Volendam are fairly popular among the local punters as well as travelers. In 2009, Hong Kong had generated a gambling turnover of $12.7 million, whereas, in that very year, the United States had only $250,000.

Hong Kong can be considered as a piece of land with multi-faith diversity in practices and beliefs. Citizens of Hong Kong from Chinese descent usually practice Chinese folk religions such as Confucian, Taoist. 54.3% of Hong Kong populace follows Buddhism, 6.7% of people follow Protestantism, Catholicism is practiced by 5.3% of people. Besides, Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs also reside in the territory.

Along with horse racing, games like badminton, tennis, and football are also quite famous among the Hong Kong people. However, they have some common superstitions that often reflect on their gambling styles and decisions.

In Cantonese, number 2 sounds like ‘ye,’ very similar to the English word ‘easy,’ and considered as a lucky number. Besides, numbers such as 3, 6, 9, and 18 are also considered lucky. ‘7’ is often considered as an unlucky one, as it represents the meaning ‘dead.’

In Hong Kong, the government regulates gambling, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club is solely responsible for limited offerings. Over time, it is expected that the government will allow more gambling opportunities for the punters, besides maintaining social responsibilities as well.

Are casinos legal in Hong Kong?

Gambling, especially sports betting, is allowed in Hong Kong, but to a minimal degree. Extremely regulated and limited by the government, social gambling is allowed in a few outlets. In addition, the Hong Kong Jockey Club is allowed to offer a few gambling options such as Mark Six lottery, parimutuel bets on horse racing, and fixed odds betting on foreign football sports events, etc.

Now, the club showcases over 100 off-track betting sites. The club is currently on a deal with the United Kingdom’s Ladbrokes-Coral Group and accepts bets through its website as well. However, a player needs to be at least 18 years old to take part in gambling.

Though Hong Kong is a part of China, it needs to be reminded that it is a Special Administrative Colony and has a distinct and individual structure. The ordinance of 1997 propelled strict regulations on gambling, and Hong Kong Jockey Club was given a monopoly to run specific offerings. The Hong Kong Jockey Club, being a non-profit organization, gives back 79% of its gambling proceeds into the economy by paying different taxes and charitable donations. All kinds of sports betting events and casino gambling would be considered illegal in Hong Kong if HKGC is not hosting it.

Even after having a very detailed and simple set of rules, Hong Kong faces multiple issues regarding illegal gambling activities. Thus, for eliminating all the traces of illegal gambling from the land of Hong Kong, few severe steps have been taken by the authority.

These steps aim to keep the gamblers and gambling environment safe only towards the benefits of the territory. Hence, the companies and punters can both be charged if they are involved in illegal betting. For sports books or casinos involved in illegal activities, the maximum penalty amount is HK$5 million, along with up to 7 years of imprisonment. For the punters participating in illegal betting, it can be HK$30,000 and 9 months of prison.

But, exploiting the cracks and vents of these restrictions, few cruise casinos offer casino gambling facilities, while being on the international water. However, despite these strict regulations from the government, offshore online casinos are very accessible for the gamblers, residing in Hong Kong territory. Punters can easily choose any online offshore casino and indulge in gambling without any impediments.

If the players from Hong Kong desire to play in an offshore online casino, they should match the age restriction, mentioned by the casino. Besides, punters need to select a casino that accepts HKD or Hong Kong Dollars.

While playing at the sites like these, a legal aged gambler needs to adopt responsible gambling, and look for the casinos having legitimate licenses. The reason being, in case of any fraudulent activity, the Hong Kong government will not be there for support. However, the intriguing fact is, gamblers in Hong Kong do not require providing any tax for their gambling winnings.

Hong Kong players' favorite games

The Home Affairs Bureau commissioned a study on Hong Kong people’s involvement in gambling in March 2002. Some major findings of the reports were, at least four out of five respondents have exercised gambling activities. According to the report, Mark Six (64.2%) is the most popular gambling in Hong Kong. The second place is for social gambling (45.9%), where games like Mahjong and other card games are played with friends or relatives. Horse racing is third, with 30.4%.

Along with these games, a large majority of respondents showed their interest in gambling with casino games (86.9%). Online casino games like video slots, blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and poker games are largely played at online offshore casinos. Besides, games like these are also offered in casino cruises.

Hong Kong has strict regulations for gambling, but somehow, the government ignores the offshore online casinos that are operating in their territory. Thus, along with legitimate gambling options, the gamblers from Hong Kong can play all the above-mentioned gambling variants. Gaming software from the famous iGaming developers like NetEnt, Play’n GO, Microgaming, Evolution Gaming are highly admired among the online casino players from Hong Kong.

How we select the best online casinos in Hong Kong

Now you know that amidst all these restrictions and regulations, Hong Kong residents are fully enjoying gambling. It may be something from Hong Kong’s legitimate list of gambling options and offerings from offshore. However, gambling enjoyment is something that matters the most.

But, choosing a quality offshore online casino can be a little tricky as well as hectic for the punters without important prior knowledge. Thus, for Hong Kong gamers, we often offer online casino ratings and reviews.

Before publishing any casino review, we analyze and test a particular casino for giving you accurate and crucial information. We always intend to provide information about the casino’s critical segments like customer support quality, security, banking methods, as well as detailed information about their gaming library.

Now, let us demonstrate all the parameters, with what we generally measure an online casino’s reliability, efficiency, and security.

Security

It is undeniably true that security is a basic characteristic of an online casino, which defines its reliability as well. And, since we are talking about offshore casinos, this segment is highly important. In our casino review, we look for the casino’s regulating licenses and the value of its regulating body.

Online casino means financial transactions on a digital platform. Hence, we always ensure that our recommended online casinos have industry-standard security for protecting consumers’ sensitive personal and financial information. Casinos with SSL encryption and PCI Compliance are highly preferred by us. Besides, licenses from the prestigious regulation bodies like the Malta Gaming Authority and UK Gambling Commission acquire more value.

Customer support

While gambling on an online casino, punters often face different problems and have queries regarding several matters. And, that casino entirely must get their users out of that problem instantly or provide an effective answer to your queries. Hence, an efficient support team is also important.

We prefer casinos that have 24x7 functional support teams, offer support in multiple languages, including Chinese and English, and take lesser time for responding. We also check whether the support teams have different access points like live chat, email, calling facility, etc.

Gaming software and supported languages

Online casinos that have a diverse gaming library with different gambling opportunities are mostly recommended in our casino reviews. A casino needs to have games like slot machines, Sic Bo, video poker, and table games like roulette, baccarat, etc. Besides, we also ensure that these games have lucrative odds, enough RTP margin, and are playable conveniently.

Casinos with expedient mobile compatibility get higher rankings from us. These games need to run conveniently in mobile operating systems that are mostly used in Hong Kong, including Android, iOS, and Windows. Normally, games from big software developers like Yggdrasil, Pragmatic Play, Play’n GO, BetSoft, serve the gamblers an all-around gaming convenience. Hence, we like casinos, which have games from developers like these.

Bonuses and promotions

Through our casino reviews, Hong Kong players get informed about different promotional and bonus offers from online casinos. We mostly prefer casinos, with welcome offers and different promotional events. We also provide definite terms and conditions for gaining those bonus offers.

Understanding currency use in Hong Kong for online casino transactions

Hong Kong, known for its bustling financial hub and vibrant culture, has a well-established financial infrastructure. The currency used in Hong Kong is the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD), often denoted as HK$. While the city has strict regulations concerning gambling and online casinos, the HKD plays a vital role in various online transactions beyond gaming.

Currency Familiarity in Online Transactions

The Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) is widely accepted and used for online transactions in Hong Kong. Its familiarity and stability make it the preferred choice for e-commerce, online shopping, and various digital financial activities. When engaging in online transactions based in Hong Kong, you'll often find that the HKD simplifies the process, eliminating the need for currency conversion.

Secure and Convenient Transactions

The use of the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) ensures secure and convenient online transactions. Hong Kong has robust financial regulations and a well-developed banking system, adding an extra layer of security to your online dealings. Whether you're making purchases, paying bills, or conducting other financial activities, the HKD offers a reliable means of payment.

Navigating Online Transactions in Hong Kong

While Hong Kong has strict regulations regarding gambling and online casinos, the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) continues to play a crucial role in facilitating secure and hassle-free online transactions. Embrace the convenience and reliability of the HKD for your digital financial activities in this bustling metropolis.

Payment options

Through our casino review, we recommend online casinos that have a fast and reliable deposit and withdrawal methods. Besides, casinos offer multiple payment methods like WeChat Pay, Union Pay, AliPay, credit cards, and even Bitcoins.

Loyalty program

Along with online casino’s bonuses and promotional offers, we provide information regarding the casino’s loyalty programs, or whether it has any or not. Information in our reviews is detailed so that you can have prior knowledge of the casino.

Legalized casino commercials

In Hong Kong, advertising on gambling events is not prohibited. Gambling agencies even appoint executives for making promotions on a larger scale. However, these marketing activities are only for legalized gambling options. Though advertising activities like these are not prohibited in Hong Kong, public advertisements regarding gambling are seen as rare in the territory.

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