Hong Kong May Introduce Licensing for Claw Machines Over Their Similarity to Gambling

Hong Kong authorities have proposed introducing a licensing regime for claw machines and pinball machine parlours amid concerns that such prize-based games resemble gambling. According to The Standard, several lawmakers have expressed support for the proposal.

Legislator Bill Tang Ka-piu said the number of operators running claw machine and pinball machine businesses in Hong Kong had risen sharply in recent years. He cited observations from gambling counselling organisations, which have reported growing numbers of residents developing gaming addiction linked to such prize-awarding games.

Tang said the sector needed a formal licensing system to protect players, standardise the industry and ensure that operators can be held accountable for violations.

Under the proposed amendments, such games would be covered by an Amusements with Prizes Licence. Operators would be allowed to offer paid games to customers, but only within strict limits on the cost of play and the value of prizes.

According to Tang, the fee for a single game should be capped at HK$5 (about €0.55), while the value of a prize should not exceed HK$300 (about €33).

Tang said the lack of oversight had already led to practices that went beyond ordinary entertainment. Some operators, he said, placed high-value prizes inside machines, while some venues allowed dice-based betting. Hong Kong police had also raided several claw machine premises offering unlicensed gambling services.

Legislator Vincent Cheng Wing-shun said he had repeatedly received complaints from residents about children becoming addicted to these games. He also pointed to practices he described as unfair, such as weak claws and narrow prize chutes designed to prevent players from winning.

Authorities expect the licensing regime to help keep such games within the realm of entertainment and reduce the risks of gambling addiction.