Arrest of 90-year-old puts gambling among Hong Kong’s elderly in focus

Loneliness is the main reason some elderly Hong Kong people take up illegal gambling, experts have said, noting facilities for the aged are not attractive enough to cater to the recreational and social needs of everyone.

Academics told the Post on Monday that gambling itself did not directly cause deviant behaviour, but warned that a “neutral” perception of the activity might have led some elderly people to take it up in retirement.

“Often the situation is that the elderly are retired, their children might not be able to look after them during the day and some of their friends might have also died, so there is a sense of loneliness,” said Augusta Yim Ting-ling, a registered counselling psychologist at Zion Social Service, which provides help to those with gambling problems.

Similar cases have also been identified in recent years, including back in 2021 when a 99-year-old was among the arrestees.

Experts said the elderly, who often had ample free time after retirement, could fall into gambling as a way to socialise.

Criminologist Eric Chui Wing-hong of Polytechnic University explained that some elderly people simply craved company when joining illegal gambling groups.

“Their leisure options are limited, that’s why when they gather together, they already feel happy,” Chui said.

Yim added that some people preferred to join gambling groups rather than attend elderly centres run by non-governmental organisations.

“Some 60- and 70-year-olds we’ve been in touch with felt that activities at elderly centres could not cater to their needs, and they chose to go to betting branches of the Jockey Club where they could socialise and might get a high from winning,” Yim said.

Hong Kong is among the fastest-ageing cities in the world, with the proportion of residents aged 65 and over projected to increase from 20.5 per cent in 2021 to 36 per cent in 2046.

Various types of elderly centres, mostly operated by non-governmental organisations, can be found citywide. While offering a wide range of social services and recreational activities, most require an annual membership fee.

Yim said people aged 60 or above who had visited her centre for help to quit gambling accounted for 13 per cent of cases across all age groups, with the oldest person she had come across aged 90, but she added that she had not noticed a rising trend.

However, both Chui and Yim warned that some elderly residents might not be aware their gambling activities were illegal. Chui said the elderly tended to have a lower awareness of crime.

“Their awareness is actually lower than that of the youth and children. Very often, they think people won’t pay attention to what they do, or that even if they are caught, they will not be punished heavily due to their age,” Chui said.

Yim said some might not be aware of the nature of illegal gambling dens as they could be located in their own housing estate, and the elderly might be less vigilant if they were invited by neighbours and looking for companionship.

Yim said some cases were brought to her attention by the children of elderly gamblers. They were in a difficult position – they hoped their parents would quit gambling but also realised the activity was sustaining them through retired life socially and emotionally.

Police data shows a rising trend of arrests among people aged 60 or above for “serious gambling offences” since 2019, from 73 cases to 120 in 2021 and 176 in 2022. The offences refer to those operating or managing an unlawful gambling establishment and bookmaking.

Yim said another contributing factor could be the relatively neutral perception of gambling within Chinese culture, as mahjong, for example, could have been a common pastime at celebrations when the elderly were young.

“When they attempt to do away with their loneliness and do not have many people to chat with, they can form an attachment with an activity, such as gambling,” Yim said. “Winning can also reinforce this attachment.”

Some medical studies, meanwhile, have suggested that playing mahjong and cards can help reduce the risk of dementia among the elderly.

Chui said “healthy, responsible” gambling involving little to no money could be an acceptable social activity.

“The case [on Sunday] involved electronic mahjong tables, which are also installed in some homes for the elderly. It’s just that there’s no gambling with money there while giving the elderly a chance to do some calculations,” he said.