Hong Kong authorities to get tough on repeat abusers of public sports venues

Hong Kong authorities will ramp up penalties for those who repeatedly misuse public sports and recreation facilities, an official has said, noting authorities had handed out punishments for 13,000 such cases since the launch of a booking app in 2023.

Raistlin Lau Chun, the acting culture, sports and tourism minister, said on Wednesday that the government would impose stricter punishments for venue hirers who repeatedly breached the rules, adding that authorities were still deciding on the appropriate penalties.

“The [Leisure and Cultural Services Department] has always paid close attention to unauthorised transfer or touting activities in relation to sports and recreation facilities and has adopted a multipronged approach to combat touting activities, including enhancing the booking system on an ongoing basis, imposing penalty arrangements and stepping up inspections,” Lau told the Legislative Council.

He noted that the department conducted more than 890,000 random inspections between the introduction of SmartPLAY in November 2023 and May this year, resulting in more than 13,000 venue hirers being penalised for breaching hiring rules twice within 60 days.

Those penalised were barred from booking any of the department’s fee-charging sports and recreation facilities for 90 days, he added.

Lau said the department also received 435 complaints related to venue-touting activities over the same period, 50 of which resulted in people being penalised.

The acting minister said the department had conducted a joint operation with law enforcement agencies in July 2024 to combat touting and other illegal activities at tennis courts in Wan Chai.