Just like the rest of the world, Hong Kong is crazy about online gambling. Players love to spin slot machines or play casino classics like blackjack or roulette, but unfortunately, this fun is illegal. With few exceptions, almost all forms of gambling are illegal in Hong Kong. Having said that, players can still find ways to join offshore online casinos that legally offer their services.
This is the case in many other jurisdictions. Wherever online gambling is banned, offshore sites are the solution. However, since these sites are not regulated in your country, it can be challenging to check which casinos are actually safe. Not all casinos are created equal or safe, as the market lets too many scam sites fall through the cracks.
The good news is that in this article, you’ll learn how to tell a good online casino from a scam and learn more about the Hong Kong market. Here are the best casino sites in Hong Kong for 2023.
Before we dive into what Hong Kong casinos offer in terms of player safety, let’s take a look at the legal situation. All forms of gambling are illegal in Hong Kong under the Hong Kong Gambling Ordinance. It is illegal to run such a business, but the law is not clear when it comes to playing casino games online.
The law does not have any provisions regarding online gambling. For example, you can spin slot machines at an offshore casino from your home – it’s not illegal because your home isn’t a gambling establishment of any kind. Playing casino games on mobile phones in public still does not qualify as gambling from an institution. By playing on an offshore site, you are still not at a gambling establishment, which means you are not breaking any rules.
This is why Hong Kong players like to play in offshore venues. They are regulated by jurisdictions that allow them to provide services to players in Hong Kong. However, this only applies to casino gaming, i.e. slot machines and table and card games. Online sports betting that is considered a crime is expressly prohibited by law.
To know which Hong Kong online casinos are safe, the first thing you should check when visiting an online casino from Hong Kong is the license. This is the single most important factor when it comes to online gambling. The license states that the casino you’re playing at is legal, but if you suspect something, you should go down the rabbit hole and check for yourself.
The legal online Hong Kong casino proudly displays the badge of the licensing agency on the website. They are also obliged to display the license number. By studying, you can check online if the license is valid. This is the best for new online casino sites. The results are displayed on the web very quickly, so you can be sure if the Hong Kong online casino you want to join is safe.
What keeps players safe? The top licensing bodies in the online gambling industry include:
Valid licenses from these regulators indicate that online casinos in Hong Kong are safe. These licenses cover more than just their typical roles. Many of these agencies also help with any player issues and confrontations with casinos and supporting players. The only problem is that offshore players may not be included.
Is Online Casino Legal in Hong Kong?
All forms of gambling are illegal in Hong Kong under the Hong Kong Gambling Ordinance. It is illegal to run such a business, but the law is not clear when it comes to playing casino games online. The law does not have any provisions regarding online gambling.
Our constant goal is to find the best online casino for the vast number of players. For all Hong Kong online casinos, we use strict criteria to filter layer by layer and finally help Hong Kong players find the best online casinos. The following are the selection criteria we mainly consider.
According to Hong Kong’s Gambling Ordinance, we are required to know that it is crucial for Hong Kong players to obtain a legal license for an online casino. We need to check the casino’s license, owner, data protection measures, and even the company it works with. Through these, we can determine whether the casino site is safe and legal.
Most casinos in Hong Kong are managed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, so online casinos that are accredited by the Hong Kong Jockey Club will be more valuable in terms of legality.
To avoid losses when exchanging foreign currency, it is recommended to try those online casino sites in Hong Kong that support Hong Kong dollars as deposit and withdrawal currency. This not only saves Hong Kong players’ currency conversion time, but also reduces currency conversion losses!
Checking the quality of customer support is one of the important items on this list. We want to make sure the support staff are knowledgeable and helpful, but also try to see how they generally treat players. Top casinos should provide friendly and competent support 24/7.
Support for the Chinese version is a sign of respect for the majority of Hong Kong players. If there is no Chinese version of online gambling sites, which is very inconvenient for most Hong Kong players, it will not only discourage players but also make them very disgusted. In severe cases, Hong Kong players may lose a lot of gambling funds due to language reasons.
For casinos, after all, there are relatively few Hong Kong players who can speak foreign languages, so it can be difficult for gambling sites without Chinese versions to attract a large number of HK players. Therefore, we should consider whether to support the Chinese version as one of the necessary conditions.
Here are some of the most commonly used software options for online casinos in Hong Kong:
As an important means to attract players, bonuses are essential, but some online casinos use bonuses to deceive players, wasting a lot of time and money for players. Most online casino sites in Hong Kong will offer bonuses or promotions for new players in one way or another, which are always great to have. Here are some of the more common bonuses you may come across:
It is a good way to start and to have some extra money to play with. Just make sure you read the bonus terms and conditions before using them, as there are other restrictions or wagering requirements.
First of all, you need to check if the casino site offers the available payment methods. The most common and convenient payment methods are PayPal, Skrill, credit cards, or other similar payments, like Neteller. For Hong Kong players, one of the best options is e-wallets, as they are the universal deposit method.
In online betting, the variety of games is one of the most important things to look out for. The best online casinos offer a wide range of games to choose from such as slots, table games, video poker, and much more. Some casino sites also offer live dealer games, which is a great option if you want a more realistic and immersive gaming experience.
Nowadays, casino sites have to be compatible with mobile devices. This means that you should be able to access the casino games on your smartphone or tablet to play on the go.
The registration process for online casinos in Hong Kong is quick and easy. As long as you meet the registration conditions stipulated by the website, such as that you must be 18 years old or above, you need to take some time to provide some necessary personal information, such as name, age, fixed address, gender, bank account, contact information, etc. to complete the registration process.
During the registration process, please take care of your personal information. The information each casino requires may vary, but generally includes the following five steps:
As gambling is generally illegal in the country, there might be some problems accessing casino sites in Hong Kong. Be that as it may, you do not have to worry because the solution to this problem exists and it is really simple to implement. In order to visit casino sites online, you need a VPN, which is a “Virtual Private Network”, a virtual network that “masks” your origin by disguising your IP address.
The VPN service is generally paid for: several sites offer it with more or less advantageous rates, but the beauty is that you can take advantage of all the advantages even for free. Yes, because you just need to download the Opera browser, which contains a VPN inside.
Remembering that it is completely free, you just need to activate the VPN located next to the address bar and define your “fake” country of origin, that is some other country from Asia, the Americas, Europe, etc.
The charm of baccarat gambling in the casino is like a lady - traditional and elegant, classic and fashionable. As a game that is sought after by many players in online casinos, you can now easily experience online baccarat in online casinos too.
The charm of the slot machine game is that it is easy to win big with a small amount of money. They can make people unexpectedly become millionaires, all of that simply with a small investment. Just put in a coin and pull the virtual lever, and if you're lucky, it may give you a chance of winning big.
Online blackjack is one of the simpler and easier-to-understand games among many gaming games. After you learn it, your chances of winning will be greatly increased, while the banker's advantage will be quite diminished, making this game have one of the highest RTP rates of all casino games.
Poker is a game where craftsmanship and strategy, mind, intelligence, and perception meet the Goddess of Fortune. In this game, if the player has a good first hand, he will hardly lose. Players need to remember many poker rules but also the top strategy for the game. There are also many variations of the game, with Texas Hold ‘Em being the most popular, as well as video pokers.
Roulette is a casino table game, which has always provided many different variations online. Also, it is one of the most fun games on casino sites in Hong Kong, especially if you are a beginner and not sure how to start playing online casino games.
One of the reasons for the popularity of online poker is that it is relatively easy to learn and easy to pick up. If you can play poker, you can definitely play online poker, even if you don't know what a strong hand is. Most poker tournaments are held by playing the Texas Hold’Em variant, which can make players millionaires.
Pai Gow is a Chinese domino game with thousands of years of history. To this day, Pai Gow has been modernized and Americanized, and the version is called Pai Gow Poker. In the original version, people used dominoes, but so far it has mostly been replaced by poker cards. Pai Gow is also known as Double-Hand Poker. Pai Gow and Pai Gow Poker can also be found on online gambling sites in Hong Kong.
Online Sic Bo is a dice game of luck. However, the game method is extremely simple and players can learn how to play it quite quickly. Of course, ease-of-play is not the only important factor when it comes to the game’s popularity in Hong Kong, but also the geographical location and quite entertaining gameplay.
Online craps is a dice game, played mainly with two dice. Craps is one of the least dominant games in online casino games, which means that if you know the craps strategy, you have a greater chance to win.
Live dealer games are a great way to "live" through the excitement and pomp of real-life gambling. That is, you can gamble in noisy, crowded, but extremely active brick-and-mortar casinos, but in the comfort of your home. Needless to say, you can access live dealer games at any online casino under the same conditions as other games.
Live dealer games take place in dedicated studios or real casino lobbies, which makes them as authentic as possible. High-quality 360-degree cameras and interactive gameplay (i.e. the ability to communicate with dealers and other players) create a sense of presence without you having to incur travel costs and waste time on the road.
Just select the casino site in Hong Kong you want to play at from the list you see at the top of this page (that offers live dealer games), go through a simple registration process, top up your account balance...and that's it, you're good to go!
Probability is one of the factors that can greatly influence the outcome of the game. Perhaps one of the biggest concerns of people playing at online casinos is the low probability of winning money. Most of them believe that gambling is doomed to fail.
It is true that there are many online casino games where the odds are in the house’s favor but some games are more profitable than others. The house edge (or casino margin) is how much a casino will earn from a game in the long run, and the lower the margin, the better for the players.
House edge in casino games in Hong Kong:
The casino margins for slot machines are usually quite complicated, with a lot of features that affect the payout of a spin: multiple symbols with different pay scales, Wild symbols, Scatter symbols, free spins, jackpots, etc. Many slot machines also allow you to play multiple combinations at once – 20 lines, 60 lines, or more with just one spin. All of this complexity is designed to make it difficult for you, the player, to judge the real odds of success.
With all those complex rules and features, trying to calculate the house edge is no easy task. Most producers publish their odds of winning, but some prefer to keep them secret. By knowing the house edge of slot machines, you will know what the casino’s advantage over you in the game.
The house edge for slot machines is between 1% and 10% for online slots, with most slots having a payback rate of between 90% and 97%. This means that if a game has a house edge of 2%, for every $100 wagered the house will keep $2. Hence, it is best to choose the slots that have the highest chances of winning.
The house edge in blackjack is generally lower than the house edge in any other casino game. If the house edge in blackjack is 0.5%, you are seeing an average loss of 50 cents every time you wager $100. The problem is that nobody plays a single hand of blackjack.
The house edge in blackjack is around 0.5% if you use the basic strategy. Of course, this percentage can go up or down based on your skill level. Most players are not good enough at basic blackjack strategy and can lose another 1.5% or so to the house, causing the casino edge to increase to 2%.
Basic strategy is the knowledge and ability to make the correct mathematical decision in any situation at a blackjack table, where it is important to know when to hit, stand, split and double down. The correct decision is always based on which cards you have in your hand versus the dealer’s up card. If you don’t use the basic strategy, the house edge is much higher.
We said that the house edge can increase to 2% if you are not good at basic strategy, but it could be even worse. So, the simple advice is that you should always use the basic strategy to keep the house edge as low as possible.
When it comes to the house edge, roulette is considered a mid-range game. However, the house edge varies depending on the roulette variant. Basically, the European roulette table offers better odds than the American roulette table. In European roulette, the house edge is 2.6%, while in American roulette the house edge is 5.26%, which means that the casino is more likely to profit from the players.
Although roulette is considered a game of luck, if you know the house edge, as well as your odds of winning, you can significantly increase your chances of winning. Each casino game is designed to give a portion of your casino bet, but some games like roulette give you a better chance of winning your bet.
In European roulette, we have a table with numbers from 1 to 36: 18 red numbers and 18 black numbers. There is also a green space labeled 0. Adding 0 to the table gives the house advantage because players would be paid as if there were only 36 numbers, against the actual 37 numbers available. This means that players are paid 2.7% (1/37) less than they should.
American roulette differs slightly from European roulette because there is an additional zero on the wheel. This means that you will also find 18 red numbers and 18 black numbers here, but instead of a single zero green space like in European roulette, there is a single zero green space and a double zero green space on opposite sides. There are 38 numbers, 1 more than in European roulette. The rules of the game are the same. In American roulette, you should bet as if there were 36 numbers on the wheel. This means that players are only paid for 36 numbers but should still be playing against 38 numbers. Here, players would be paid 5.26% (2/38) less than they should.
Video poker may seem like a game of pure luck to less experienced players, but avid gamers and experts know that it is, for the most part, a game of skill. This means that every decision made during the game will have an impact on the outcome of the game. Depending on the type of video poker and the player’s skill, the house edge can vary from 5% to almost 0.5%. However, in some games, it is zero or even negative. Full pay Deuces Wild, for example, has an RTP of 100.76%, which means the house edge is -0.76%.
In standard video poker, players have exactly 32 ways to play each hand they receive. To be successful, they have to make the best choice every time they hit the button. This is possible in two cases: if the game is played by a computer, or by an expert player who uses the right strategy, based on a careful mathematical analysis.
The second thing every player needs to know is the ranking of winning hands in video poker. In the simpler version of the game, called Jacks or Better, winning hands are ranked the same way as regular poker. The highest-paying hand is Royal Flush, which is a combination of ten, jack, queen, king, and ace of the same suit. This is followed by the Straight Flush, which is made up of 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. Then there is Four of a Kind (any four cards of the same rank) and then Full House, which contains Three of a Kind and a Pair. The next hand is Flush – any five cards of the same suit, and the next, Straight, which is 5 consecutive cards of any suit. The lowest hands in the pay table are Three of a Kind, Pair and Jacks or Better, which is a pair of Jacks or higher cards.
Many Hong Kong players consider sign-up bonuses and welcome offers to be the only form of bonuses. This is because they are the most generous and most visible events. But aside from welcome offers, there are many other types of casino bonuses. Here we are going to discuss all the online casino bonuses, who they are suitable for, and how they work.
As the name implies, these are offers that welcome new players who register for the first time in a particular online casino site in Hong Kong. The new welcome bonuses represent a universe of offers that can be very different from each other, there are no deposit welcome bonuses and welcome bonuses linked to reloads. You can find single online casino bonuses or packages that reward up to the first 5 deposits. Some welcome bonuses also contain gifts consisting of free spins or a certain number of points valid for the loyalty program.
Online casino bonuses allow new users in Hong Kong to enjoy some very important advantages and quickly become familiar with all the best games on the platform. Casino bonuses are divided into two broad categories, namely “no deposit” and “with deposit”, and will give you the opportunity to start playing without spending a single dollar.
Given the competition that exists in the online gambling sector, the best online casino sites in Hong Kong try to attract the attention of potential customers with a generous no-deposit bonus, thanks to which they can start a gambling adventure at zero risk. To receive a no-deposit bonus, you normally only need to register with the casino and confirm your account by sending a copy of your ID.
The no-deposit bonus casinos do not offer very high amounts, but despite this, they are among the most affordable promotions ever. Thanks to these bonuses, you have the opportunity to start playing, practice for free, and gain the necessary experience to specialize in your favorite disciplines: poker, blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and video slots.
Regular players are among the best customers for a casino, because they have a controlled and constant style of play and are not too influenced by the ups and downs of luck, which is why a casino tries to stick with them by offering bonuses that reward regularity. A reload bonus can be obtained once you have made a deposit into your gaming account and is normally expressed as a percentage of the same.
This is a very common offer in almost all casinos. Deposit bonuses are only offered to players after the first deposit, but in some cases, deposit bonuses can be extended to the second, third, or even fourth deposit. Deposit bonuses are best for small players and high rollers.
Typically, casinos will match the deposit amount with a certain percentage, with a cap on which bonuses can be awarded. Like other newbie offers, deposit bonuses have wagering requirements, some are strict, and others are more generous. The wagering requirement is usually 30-35 times the deposit amount. Another example is allowing players to wager until they have wagered the full amount and then receive wagering requirements from the wagered amount in favor of paid winning bonuses.
Bonus spins, also known as free games or free spins, are casino bonuses that provide players with free money to wager on certain slot games. These are also popular in many casinos and, as the name suggests, are associated with free spins for slot machine lovers. Free Spins can be offered as a bundle with deposit bonuses or as a stand-alone promotion.
Within the two macro-categories of bonuses with or without a deposit, the best legal casino sites in Hong Kong have given ample space to their creativity, creating an incredible range of offers that we list:
The cash you have spent is returned to you. This offer, born in online shopping sites, has also arrived in online casinos and allows players to see the money wagered within the casino games return. Of course, not all the money you have wagered is refunded to you, in general, a cashback bonus returns you a percentage of the losses you have suffered while playing real money. For example, a cashback bonus can offer a 10% cashback on the losses incurred by playing certain slots.
These are bonuses awarded to players who enter a casino’s loyalty program. Often these casino bonuses are associated with a system in which points are accumulated by wagering. These points can then be converted into cash bonuses. Based on the status achieved in the loyalty program, the conversion rate becomes cheaper and the casino bonus easier to obtain.
This type of bonus is paid not based on the value of the deposit you have made, but based on the play volume you have generated with the deposit made. In practice, the casino counts the total amount of real money bets that you have placed and on the basis of them gives you a casino bonus. The difference from the player’s point of view is not very big, you simply need to invest the deposit in the game and don’t leave it sitting and inactive in the bill. As for the reload bonuses, even the wagered bonuses can have very different percentages and maximum amounts.
These casino bonuses are reserved for a small circle of players, those who pay and bet big. They are usually tied to the deposit and are based on a minimum deposit of hundreds or thousands of dollars. These types of promotions are so exclusive that they are often not even made public and are sent directly only to a narrow circle of players.
It may happen to find online casino bonuses related to the type of deposit method you use. You can, for example, find online casino bonuses offered if you deposit through a specific e-wallet such as Skrill or Neteller.
Live casino bonuses are promotions reserved for those who choose to play in the live section of their favorite casino. The differences between online play and live play are important: when you sit at a live online table, the action that is taking place on a real table is streamed on your computer or mobile phone, with a dealer in flesh and bone. By using the live casino bonus, not only will you be able to sit at tables with higher minimum stakes, but you can also play longer by extending the challenge at the dealer.
It is not difficult to guess that a whole new group of casino bonuses fall into this category. With the increasing popularity of mobile gaming, casinos have also understood the importance of creating promotions that are specifically dedicated to those who have elected mobile as their primary gaming device. Mobile bonuses are therefore aimed specifically at these players and are often not transferable to desktops.
Deposits and withdrawals are an important part of your online gambling experience. Users in Hong Kong are advised to research and compare the various payment methods available and choose the one that best suits their needs.
Online payment methods have been vigorously developed in recent years. The alternative deposit methods offered by websites such as online casinos, poker rooms, sportsbooks, and bingo are divided into three categories:
✅ PayPal –
PayPal is a true giant of online payments, and the security it gives us makes it by far one of the most valued options for all types of users. We are talking about a payment method through which we can make deposits and withdrawals instantly if we associate it with our account.
There are no commissions on deposits and withdrawals from the main operators and the recharge in our account is at the moment. Withdrawals at online casinos take between 12 hours and 5 business days to process.
✅ Skrill –
Another electronic wallet, with a fairly common presence in the accepted payment and withdrawal methods. One of its strengths is its integration with other traditional methods, such as credit and debit cards.
Skrill’s success is essentially based on the immediacy of deposits and withdrawals that have short terms. Also there are no commissions when using Skrill. All this explains the great growth experienced in recent years.
✅ Neteller –
Neteller works in a similar way to PayPal or Skrill, with the same security indexes. We must not fail to highlight the program for VIP users, where users can benefit from specialized attention available 24 hours a day all week.
Deposits are made instantly and withdrawals do not take too long, also without commissions. An option that has been gaining the favor of users until it is among the most popular in Hong Kong.
✅ Ecopayz –
In the sector of payment methods, there are some better known and others less. In the specific case of ecoPayz, it is becoming better known in Hong Kong, something that speaks highly of its progression. We must highlight the aspect of security as one of its greatest strengths.
The time periods for deposits range from 1 to 4 days. For the withdrawal of profits, we can talk about two days. Let’s not forget their formidable user support available 24 hours a day, every day of the week.
✅ Credit or Debit Cards –
Credit cards cannot be missing from any platform that feeds on online payments and fund withdrawals. Visa and Mastercard are the most popular cards. Due to this, the vast majority of online casino sites in Hong Kong have them among their payment methods.
It should not be forgotten that it is also a very fast option since if it is accepted by the casino, the transfer operation of the economic amount is carried out immediately. The commissions will depend on each bank.
✅ Wire Transfer –
A method that is a classic in veterans and also in new online casinos and which continues to be used, although it has lost integers in a world where immediacy is increasingly valued more. With it, a certain amount is transferred from the bank account to the account in the online casino.
The main advantage it has is the convenience of making the deposit using the online banking account, just as it is done in other personal finances. A negative point is the delay of the process, which often causes users to opt for other methods, and where the commission will depend on the bank that we have.
✅ Other Popular Options in Hong Kong –
What Is the Best Payment Option for Hong Konger Players?
If the online casino that the user participates in is legal, paying with a credit card will be a safer option. However, many online customers prefer to protect their credit card information anyway. It provides room for the development of other payment solutions, such as e-wallets that now offer great service on top of security and fast transactions.
Social gambling in Hong Kong is allowed, as well as certain forms of gambling, such as horse racing and the state lottery. Sports bets are illegal while casinos are only legal when granted a special permit from the state.
Yes, as long as you study online gaming platforms carefully and play only on regulated and licensed online gaming platforms, it is absolutely safe.
Casino sites will set their own limits when it comes to deposits and withdrawals. Finding them is easy and necessary before joining a casino.
State-run Chinese lottery winnings over RMB 10,000 (11,375 HKD) are taxed at a rate of 20%. Smaller prizes are not taxed.
Casinos will immediately accept your withdrawal request and it will be up to the banking option of choice to transfer the money. E-wallets and cryptocurrencies are lightning fast, credit cards are fairly fast, and bank transfers are the slowest option of all, taking up to 7 days.
The best online casinos spread video slots, table games, and instant win games like scratch cards. Betting is also possible through live dealer games, where gamblers play against human gamblers.
Baccarat is arguably the most popular casino game among Hong Kongers.
Many casino sites will provide free spin bonuses in Hong Kong. They come in many shapes and forms and claiming them when possible is recommended.
To receive a no-deposit bonus, you normally only need to register with the casino and confirm your account by sending a copy of your ID.
Not many options are available for Hong Kongers, but there are a few such as:
🔎 Looking for betting sites? Here are the best betting sites in Hong Kong.
