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The Amusement with Prizes (AWP) licence of three family amusement centres in Tsuen Wan and Fanling were cancelled by the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department today (December 17) for repeated contravention of licence conditions, i.e. installation and operation of unauthorised games with gambling nature.
In the past year, the Police have instigated a total of eight prosecutions against the three family amusement centres concerned because of contravention of licence conditions. All were convicted by the court. Despite repeated warnings by the OLA, the licence holders concerned continued contravening the licence conditions without improvement. The OLA thus cancelled their licences in accordance with the Gambling Ordinance (GO) (Cap. 148).
A department spokesman said that in accordance with the existing licensing requirements, the OLA will not approve the installation or operation of games, game machines or devices which contain gambling elements inside the premises issued with an AWP licence. It is stated clearly in the licence condition that except for games of amusement with prizes approved for the licensed premises, no other machines/devices and/or games of amusement with prizes, which are gambling in nature, shall be installed or placed for use or operation in the premises.
In accordance with the GO, any contravention of the AWP licence conditions is subject to prosecution by the Police and will be liable on conviction to a fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for two years. In addition, the OLA may cancel any AWP licence at any time under section 22(4)(a) of the GO.
The spokesman stressed that all AWP licence holders should comply with all licence conditions. For any suspected unauthorised installation of machines/devices and/or games of amusement with prizes, which are gambling in nature, in family amusement centres or other premises, please call the OLA at 2594 5824 or report the case to the Police.
Ends/Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Issued at HKT 15:00
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