The Hong Kong police launched the "Gobi and Wind Shield" operation to combat illegal gambling during the World Cup and investigate virtual asset betting

The World Cup will kick off on June 11, and the Hong Kong police have launched operations "Gobi" and "Wind Shield" to combat illegal betting on sports through publicity, education, intelligence, and law enforcement. The police pointed out that in recent years, illegal gambling has shown a trend of digitalization, including online betting, social media attracting gamblers, and using virtual currency for bets. The police stated that they still have the capability to trace participants.

According to the law, betting with illegal bookmakers can result in a maximum sentence of 9 months and a fine of 50,000 HKD, accepting bets can lead to a maximum sentence of 7 years and a fine of 5 million HKD, and money laundering can result in a maximum sentence of 14 years and a fine of 5 million HKD. The police also shared a case of a young person who was once addicted to illegal gambling, who owed a maximum of 160,000 HKD at his peak. A police clinical psychologist warned that those who start gambling before the age of 18 have a risk of developing gambling disorders of over 80%.