Staff reporter
Illegal gambling websites are luring punters with every trick in the book, including accepting bets in crypto or through FPS, as Euro 2024 kicks off in over a week, according to Sing Tao Daily, sister paper of The Standard.
Apart from accepting bets and top-ups through different channels, the sites have rolled out various offers to attract punters ahead of the European Football Championship that begins on June 15.
”To celebrate the arrival of Euro 2024, we are offering HK$188 to every customer registering an account on our website,” an illegal bookmaker, website H, said in an advertisement.
Apart from cash rewards, the bookmaker also provides rebates of around 0.9 percent to 2.8 percent for losing bets. All registered members will get birthday cash rewards ranging from HK$28 to HK$8,888, depending on how much money they have deposited or bet. Punters can top up their accounts through bank transfers using FPS or the crypto Tether.
H also provides free live-streaming of other popular sports events, according to a customer service agent of the website.
”This is to facilitate customers placing bets while enjoying the match,” the agent added.
”Placing bets while watching the match – imagine how exciting that is. And it also requires customers to be discerning.”
Another illegal gambling site, V, has launched a promotion for newcomers with multiple rewards. New members get up to HK$2,388, depending on their wagers.
It also offers a 1 percent rebate on “effective bets” while allowing multiple methods for punters to top up their account, including bank transfers, Alipay, WeChat Pay, Tether and EBpay, the electronic payment platform of eBay.
Apart from popular leagues around the world, V also accepts bets for less-known leagues. These include Hong Kong’s first and second division league matches, the Ethiopian Women’s Premier League and even Vietnam’s second division league.
An earlier survey found that Hongkongers lose as much as HK$16 billion per year to illegal bookmakers, and that accepting bets using crypto is one of the best ways to attract customers, especially the young.
The websites also provide a detailed tutorial to teach punters how to use crypto in placing bets. And all these come-ons are apparently working as half of the punters in the top 20 most popular illegal betting sites are 34 years old or younger.
Tether, which is linked to the US dollar, fluctuates less in price, and growing more and more popular among illegal bookmakers and punters.
Police said they mounted two massive operations to combat illegal betting during the 2022 World Cup, including busted 188 premises suspected to be related to illegal betting activities, and arresting 1,104 people.
”Police will continue combating illegal betting activities relating to the UEFA Euro through prevention, education, intelligence gathering and law enforcement,” the force said.