DAB lawmaker Edward Leung on Wednesday said legalising basketball betting could tackle illegal gambling.

Speaking on RTHK’s “In the Chamber” programme, Leung said regulating basketball betting could also stop betting turnover from being lost to illegal gambling operators.

He also said the government should combat illegal gambling from the source by blocking illegal websites.

Leung believed it would be possible to do that as websites for vaping products have been blocked in the SAR under the ban on alternative smoking products.

It could be difficult to trace illegal gambling activities of individuals since people may use electronic payment methods and cryptocurrencies to hide their activity, the lawmaker added.

Leung also said the Ping Wo Fund should allocate more resources to address youth gambling, including preventive and remedial measures for gambling addiction.