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Agatha Ngai

SCMP, June 11, 2003

By Chan Siu-sin

FACING A BARRAGE of criticism over the government's decision to legalise soccer betting, Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs Stephen Fisher stood his ground in the Legislative Council yesterday. Opponents of the scheme, he said, were holding their standards too high.

During the 2.5 hour meeting, Mr Fisher told 14 opposition groups - mostly religious - and individuals that they should respect the majority of people who support soccer betting.

He also denied that legalising soccer betting would 'suddenly increase' the number of pathological gamblers in Hong Kong.

'Soccer betting will be only one of the legal and illegal gambling channels [in Hong Kong],' said Mr Fisher. 'Its introduction will, in fact, curtail the activities of illegal gamblers.'

But his comments were not enough to convince many of those in attendance.

Lillian Cheng Wai-ting, 17, a Form 5 student from Heep Yunn School, said she felt compelled to protest - if for no reason other than to 'remind the government how the legalisation of soccer betting would surely ruin the next generation'.

'I agree with what legislator Abraham [Razack] said - moral standards do not have highs or lows,' she said. 'It is either moral or immoral. Winning at somebody else's expense is immoral, and the government has a responsibility to teach the right thing.

'Unlike horse racing, everyone likes and plays soccer. Students, who are curious about most things, will think it is okay to bet on soccer games if the government legalises it.

'The government is simply manipulating public opinion to make us think people are supportive of legalisation.'

Other critics, such as Kwan Kai-man, from Baptist University's department of religion and philosophy, were sceptical that the introduction of legalised soccer betting would make any difference in reducing illegal betting.

'It is not an either-or-issue,' he said. 'The mass media and the government happen to label those who oppose it as 'stubborn', and those for it as 'liberal'. This is wrong. The point is, we already have so many betting channels. Is there really still a need for more?'

According to a government-commissioned survey conducted by Hong Kong Polytechnic University's Centre for Social Policy Studies in 2001, 1.85 per cent of 18 to 64-year-olds and about 2.6 per cent of the population aged 18 or under are 'probable pathological gamblers'.

The government will soon establish two counselling and treatment centres, subsidised by $24 million from the Hong Kong Jockey Club, to help pathological gamblers.

Another Legislative Council meeting on soccer betting will be held tomorrow morning.

Last November, the government granted an exclusive soccer betting franchise to the jockey club. Since April, the Legislative Council has been considering amending the betting duty ordinance to legalise soccer betting in Hong Kong.

Discussion points

- Do you think that those who oppose the legalisation of soccer betting are holding their standards too high?

- List the arguments for and against the issue.

- Which side do you take? Write an open letter to express your views. Support your argument.

E-mail: yp@scmp.com

Vocabulary

to stand one's ground (idiom)

to refuse to change one's opinion. Another way to convey the same idea is to say that one 'holds his or her ground'

pathological (adj)

caused by a mentally disturbed condition

to curtail (v)

to curb, to reduce. Many students confuse it with the word 'curtain'. However, note that 'curtain' can never be used as a verb.

1. West Ham United made a dignified exit when the curtain fell on a thrilling Premier League season. (SCMP, May 13, 2003).

'The curtain falls on something' means something comes to the end.

2. Winston Churchill led his Conservative Party to victory over the Labour Government in a desperately fought election in 1951 that rung down the curtain on six years of Socialist rule. (SCMP, October 28, 2001)

'To ring or bring down the curtain on something' means to mark the end of an event or a situation.

compelled (adj)

being forced to do something

at someone's expense (phrase)

to achieve a goal in a way which might cause others harm

to manipulate (v)

to cleverly or deviously control

sceptical (adj)

having doubts about something. It is the same as 'skeptical'. 'Sceptical' is the British spelling and 'skeptical' is American.



Red card shown for critics of soccer betting