### General Holidays Ordinance 《公眾假期條例》

1. Short title
This Ordinance may be cited as the General Holidays Ordinance.
(Amended 35 of 1998 s. 2)

2. Interpretation
In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwise requires—
general holiday (公眾假期) means a day which, subject to the provisions of sections 4 and 7, shall be kept as a holiday by all banks, educational establishments, public offices and Government departments.
(Amended 19 of 1967 s. 3) Editorial Note:
Please see, however, section 85A of Cap. 279 and section 13 of Cap. 320.

3. General holidays
Subject to section 6, the days specified in the Schedule shall be general holidays.
(Replaced 70 of 1983 s. 2)

4. Operation of Government department or court on general holidays
(1) Anything in this Ordinance or any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, the head of any Government department may, if in his opinion the interests of the public service or the convenience of the public so require, open and operate any of the offices and works thereof on a general holiday and require any of the persons serving in his department to perform any of their duties and functions on a general holiday.
(2) Anything in this Ordinance or any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, the Chief Justice may direct that any court or any of the offices of any court shall be open on a general holiday for the transaction of such business as the Chief Justice may think fit and may require any of the persons serving in any such court or office to perform any of their duties and functions on a general holiday.
(Replaced 19 of 1967 s. 6)

5. No obligation to do acts relating to negotiable instruments on general holidays
Subject to the provisions of section 14 of the Bills of Exchange Ordinance (Cap. 19), it shall not be necessary for any person to make any payment or to do any other act, including noting or protesting, relating to any negotiable instrument on a general holiday, but all obligation to make such payment or to do any such other act shall apply to the next following day not being itself a general holiday.

### General Holidays Ordinance 《公眾假期條例》

6. Additional or substituted general holidays and amendment of Schedule
(1) The Legislative Council may by resolution—
(a) appoint any day in any particular year to be observed as a general holiday in addition to, or in substitution for, any day specified in the Schedule;
(b) amend the Schedule by—
(i) adding any day to the list of days which are to be observed as a general holiday or removing any day from that list;
(ii) altering the designation of any general holiday or the day on which it is to be observed;
(iii) making such provision supplementary to any such addition or alteration as may be necessary or expedient for the purpose of giving full effect to the amendment including provision enabling the Chief Executive to vary the day on which a general holiday is to be observed. (Amended 35 of 1998 s. 3; 54 of 2000 s. 3)
(2) Subject to subsection (3), if in any year two general holidays fall on the same day, the next following day that is not itself a general holiday is to be observed as an additional general holiday in that year. (Replaced 35 of 1998 s. 3)
(3) The Chief Executive in Council may, by order in the Gazette, appoint any day in any year to be observed as an additional general holiday in place of another day that would otherwise be an additional general holiday in that year under subsection (2). (Added 35 of 1998 s. 3)
(Replaced 70 of 1983 s. 3)

7. Magistrates may act on general holidays
Permanent magistrates, and special magistrates may exercise all the jurisdiction and powers conferred on them by any enactment in force in Hong Kong on any day, whether a general holiday or not.
(Added 43 of 1955 s. 2. Amended 13 of 1995 s. 34; 54 of 2000 s. 3)

### Gambling Ordinance 《賭博條例》

1. Short title
This Ordinance may be cited as the Gambling Ordinance.

### Gambling Ordinance 《賭博條例》

5. Unlawful gambling establishments
Any person who on any occasion—
(a) operates a gambling establishment;
(b) manages or otherwise has control of a gambling establishment; or
(c) in any capacity assists, either directly or indirectly, in the operation or in the management or other control of a gambling establishment,
commits an offence and is liable—
(i) on summary conviction to a fine of $5,000,000 and to imprisonment for 2 years; or
(ii) on conviction on indictment to a fine of $5,000,000 and to imprisonment for 7 years.
(Amended 42 of 1990 s. 3)

6. Gambling in a gambling establishment
Any person who gambles in a gambling establishment commits an offence and is liable—
(a) on first conviction to a fine at level 3 and to imprisonment for 3 months;
(b) on second conviction to a fine at level 4 and to imprisonment for 6 months;
(c) on third or subsequent conviction to a fine at level 5 and to imprisonment for 9 months.
(Amended 42 of 1990 s. 4; E.R. 4 of 2021)

### Gambling Ordinance 《賭博條例》

7. Bookmaking
(1) Any person who— (Amended 53 of 1981 s. 4)
(a) engages in bookmaking, whether on one occasion or more than one occasion; or (Amended 12 of 2002 s. 4)
(b) holds out in any manner that he solicits, receives, negotiates or settles bets by way of trade or business, (Amended 12 of 2002 s. 4)
(c) (Repealed 12 of 2002 s. 4)commits an offence and is liable—
(i) on summary conviction to a fine of $5,000,000 and to imprisonment for 2 years; or
(ii) on conviction on indictment to a fine of $5,000,000 and to imprisonment for 7 years.
(1A) Any person who engages in bookmaking, whether on one occasion or more than one occasion, by receiving, negotiating or settling outside Hong Kong a bet—
(a) which is placed from Hong Kong; or
(b) placed by a person who is in Hong Kong when the bet is placed,
commits an offence and is liable—
(c) on summary conviction to a fine of $5,000,000 and to imprisonment for 2 years; or
(d) on conviction on indictment to a fine of $5,000,000 and to imprisonment for 7 years. (Added 12 of 2002 s. 4)
(2) (Repealed 12 of 2002 s. 4)(Amended 42 of 1990 s. 5)

8. Betting with a bookmaker
Any person who bets with a bookmaker commits an offence and is liable—
(a) on first conviction to a fine at level 3 and to imprisonment for 3 months;
(b) on second conviction to a fine at level 4 and to imprisonment for 6 months;
(c) on third or subsequent conviction to a fine at level 5 and to imprisonment for 9 months,
whether the bet is received within or outside Hong Kong.
(Amended 42 of 1990 s. 6; 12 of 2002 s. 5; E.R. 4 of 2021)