Will Hong Kong Bring Esports and Online Gambling Into Play?

Hong Kong is about to stage its largest esports event to date. That spotlight has sparked debate about whether the city, long cautious about gambling reform, might take the next step toward legalizing online play and esports betting.

Hong Kong has never been quick to change its gambling laws. Horse racing and the Mark Six lottery have anchored the scene for decades, and it was only in 2003 that soccer betting became legal. More recently, basketball joined the mix under the Jockey Club. Now, with esports on the rise worldwide and the BLAST Premier Rivals Counter-Strike 2 tournament heading to the city in November, the conversation is shifting again: could esports betting and online gambling be next?

Before looking at esports, it’s worth asking how the broader gambling picture already works in practice.

The Hong Kong Online Casino Guide 2025, reported by the experts at online-gambling.com, is a good reference point. It lays out what types of gambling are officially allowed, shows where offshore operators step in and flags the casinos considered safest for local players. The guide also looks at what’s on offer — from slots and roulette to live dealer tables and sports markets. It paints a clear picture: people in Hong Kong are already active online, even if regulation hasn’t caught up.

Esports is no longer niche

What was once a side hobby has turned into a global industry. Precedence Research valued the global esports market at about US$5.39 billion in 2024, with forecasts pushing that figure above US$41 billion by 2033. The audiences prove the point: last year’s League of Legends World Championships drew millions of concurrent viewers, setting new records.

That growth is backed up by wider market analysis. As Statista.com reports here, worldwide esports revenue is expected to hit around US$4.8 billion in 2025, with betting projected to account for more than half of that total. Those numbers highlight not only how far esports has come but also why governments and regulators — including Hong Kong’s — are now paying closer attention.

Hong Kong is catching some of that momentum. The BLAST Premier Rivals event this November will be the biggest esports show the city has ever staged. It’s also the first tournament to receive the government’s “M” Mark designation, normally reserved for major sporting events. Eight top CS2 teams will battle it out at AsiaWorld-Arena for a US$1 million prize pool, with organizers expecting more than 11,000 fans a day and broadcast coverage in 30+ languages.

Local players have already had a taste. When Hong Kong gamer Ip Chi-ho stepped on stage with Korean legend Faker last year, the roar of 5,000 fans made it feel, in his words, like “the happiest moment of my life.” That reaction shows the appetite isn’t just for live matches; fans want more ways to take part.

Betting pressure and regional examples

Esports betting is already established elsewhere. In South Korea, the Philippines and parts of Europe, regulated platforms give fans legal markets to back their favorite teams. Hong Kong residents can access offshore sites too, but because there’s no local licensing, money flows out and oversight is minimal.

The same issue applies to online casino play. With no licensed local operators, players rely on overseas platforms. For many observers, it feels less like a question of if Hong Kong will regulate and more like a matter of when. Bringing these activities under a formal framework would mean tax revenue, safeguards for players and better control over integrity.

Why caution still dominates

Caution has defined Hong Kong’s approach to gambling for decades. Every reform has come in small steps rather than sweeping changes. Esports draws a wide fanbase, and any move to legalize betting around tournaments is bound to spark debate over safeguards and the risk of problem gambling.

The city also sees itself differently from Macau — often branded the “Monte Carlo of the Orient” in a recent BBC World Service podcast — where gambling dominates the economy in a way Hong Kong has never embraced. In Hong Kong, gambling is treated as something to contain, not expand. That’s why soccer betting only arrived in 2003 and basketball two decades later. For now, regulators stick to protecting the existing system, while offshore play sits outside their reach.

BLAST Premier as a test case and what comes next

BLAST Premier Rivals isn’t just another Counter-Strike stop. For Hong Kong, it’s a showcase, proof that the city can stage esports on the same scale as Seoul or Shanghai. With backing from the Tourism Board and the Major Sports Events Committee, the tournament in Hong Kong doubles as a stress test of the city’s ability to host global events.

If it delivers — and the signs suggest it will — it could build momentum for treating esports as more than a sideshow. Elsewhere, betting regulation has often followed audience growth and investment, and BLAST Rivals may help spark the same debate here.

Caution still runs deep, but demand is obvious, offshore play is already happening and lawmakers have shown they can adapt. As November approaches, fans will be focused on site holds and trophy lifts, while regulators consider whether esports belongs in Hong Kong’s regulated gambling market.