■世界盃開鑼一段時間，有人專心欣賞球技，亦有人選擇賭波。 資料圖片【原文】四年一度的世界盃6月14日開鑼。本港每逢世界盃，賭波數字均有大幅增長，加上通訊技術發展，外圍非法賭博比較猖獗，對年輕人造成不容忽視的負面影響，值得社會重視。
警方須加強打擊非法賭波，政府、馬會和社會組織亦要加強宣傳教育，引導大家健康觀賽，切莫沉迷賭海。
香港自2003年賭波合法化之後，足球博彩的投注額不斷增加，上屆世界盃的2014年期間已經飆升至600多億元，較2008年升幅近八成，增幅遠超同期的賽馬及六合彩。今年俄羅斯世界盃比賽時間方便港人觀看，賭波情況想必更熾熱。
賭波合法10年 年輕賭徒勁升
尤其值得注意的是，青少年最容易接觸賭博的途徑就是足球博彩，容易在世界盃期間，受家人和朋輩影響「玩兩手」。東華三院平和坊在今年3月至4月的調查就顯示，14歲至30歲的中學及大專院校學生中，66.4%受訪者經常使用手機應用程式進行足球博彩。
年輕人自制能力差，好勝心強，容易成為問題賭徒。香港戒賭中心的數字顯示，本港賭波合法化後10年，中心接獲的16歲至20歲賭波人士求助個案就增加了五成，21歲至30歲的則勁升4倍，一些個案欠債上百萬元，對個人前途和家庭構成嚴重影響。
警方嚴打「科技」外圍波
雖然馬會規定18歲以下及身穿校服者不能進入投注場地，但年輕人很容易透過社交媒體接觸到外圍非法賭博集團，然後透過即時通訊軟件參與。
這些「外圍波」不單沒有任何年齡和身份限制，更會以各種手法吸引球迷參與，令一些人愈賭愈大，釀成嚴重後果。
香港當年推行賭波合法化，實質是規範化，希望透過馬會進行有管控的足球博彩，避免龐大的賭注流入非法組織，出發點並非為鼓勵賭博。因此，成年人參與賭波，一定要通過合法途徑；年輕人則不應該參與任何賭博。
針對世界盃期間非法賭波猖獗，警方已成立工作小組，嚴厲打擊非法賭波。根據香港法例，參與非法賭波可被判罰款3萬元及監禁9個月。
不少研究都指出，愈早接觸賭博，日後成為病態賭徒的機會愈大。澳門和新加坡近年都已將合法賭博年齡提高至21歲。本港應該積極研究修例，提高合法博彩年齡，保護青少年不受賭博侵害。（標題及小標題為編輯所加）（摘錄自香港文匯報社評14-06-2018）
Online Apps Take Bite of Illegal Gambling
【譯文】The quadrennial FIFA World Cup 2018 has finally kicked off on 14 June. As football betting in Hong Kong had seen exponential increases during past World Cups, and that illegal gambling operators are now more aggressive thanks to the technological advancements in telecommunications, the public must beware of the negative impact of gambling on young people.
The law enforcement should step up its anti-gambling efforts, whereas the government, the Hong Kong Jockey Club and other NGOs should raise public awareness against gambling and promote the World Cup as a sporting event.
Bets on football has been on the rise ever since the legalisation of football gambling in Hong Kong in 2003. In 2014, when the previous World Cup was held, football bet wagers had skyrocketed 80 per cent to HK$60 billion when compared to the figure of 2008, and has far exceeded the increases in horse racing and Mark Six in the same period. Given the time-zone proximity of Russia, the World Cup host this year, football betting will surely be even more popular.
Gambling Problems Start Young
Particularly worth noting is that young people are more exposed to football betting than any other gambling activities. Many of them may be lured into participation by family or peers amid the World Cup fever.
In a survey conducted from March to April 2018 by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Even Centre, 66.4 per cent of participants from the 14-30 age group（secondary and tertiary students）said they frequently participated in football betting via mobile Apps.
As adolescents' self-control ability is still developing, they are more likely to chase losses and eventually become problem gamblers. According to the Hong Kong Gamblers Recovery Centre, in 10 years since the legalisation of football betting their number of cases in the 16-20 age group increased by 50 per cent, whereas the figure of the 21-30 age group quadrupled.
In some cases, young gamblers had to face mounting debts of up to millions of dollars, which in no doubt would deal a severe blow to their families and ruin their own future prospects.
Illegal Betting Rings Go High-Tech
Even though the premises of the Jockey Club are off-limits to anyone aged under 18, young people still have easy access to illegal gambling Rings with the help of social media platforms and instant messaging Apps.
Illegal football gambling places no restriction on the age of participants, and would employ various techniques to lure football fans. Some of the gamblers would succumb to the temptation and commit even more, leading to grave consequences.
Instead of encouraging gambling, the original purpose of legalising football gambling was to establish control via the Jockey Club and to avoid funnelling enormous amounts of wagers into criminal organisations.
Therefore, adults should only engage in football betting through authorised outlets under the Jockey Club, whereas young people should not participate in any sort of gambling at all.
In response to rampant illegal gambling activities during the World Cup finals, Hong Kong police have set up a task force to crackdown on unlawful football betting. According to Hong Kong laws, betting with illegal bookmakers will be liable for a maximum penalty of a HK$30,000 fine and nine months' imprisonment upon conviction.
Many studies have pointed out that the earlier one exposes to gambling, the higher the chance is that one become a pathological gambler.
Both Macau and Singapore have raised the gambling age threshold to 21 years old in recent years. The government should actively consider amending the law to tighten age restrictions, so as to protect the youth from the harms of gambling.■Jeffrey Tse [ywc_jeffrey@hotmail.com]
考考你
1.博彩業
2.非法賭博中介人（疊碼仔）
3.《賭博條例》
4.賭博失調
5.社交賭博
Answer
1.The gambling industry
2.Junkets
3.The Gambling Ordinance
4.Gambling disorder
5.Social gambling