HONG KONG, June 8: Hong Kong police detained nine men Saturday for allegedly accepting 9.3 million Hong Kong dollars (1.2 million US dollars) worth of illegal bets on the soccer World Cup.

The men were arrested in an operation against illegal football bookmaking during which officers seized 9.3 million dollars worth of betting slips, a spokeswoman said.

They were arrested under a new law implemented last month that makes it a criminal offence for Hong Kong residents to place bets offshore or to run illegal gambling activities.

Four men were arrested during another anti-soccer bookmaking operation on June 1. Police had seized betting slips worth 20 million dollars.

Police have vowed to step up investigations to crackdown on illegal bookmaking activities during the month-long World Cup which kicked off on May 31.

The new gambling ordinance states that anyone in Hong Kong caught placing a bet with an overseas bookmaker risks a fine of 10,000 Hong Kong dollars (1,284 US) and three months in jail.

Overseas gambling operators would also be committing a criminal offence by receiving bets from Hong Kong, even if they are licensed in other countries.

The bill also bans banks in Hong Kong from handling transactions for such gambling, and forbids advertising of unauthorised betting.

Hong Kongers are passionate gamblers even though the horse races and the twice-weekly Mark Six lottery organised by the Hong Kong Jockey Club provide almost the only outlet for a legal punt.

The new law was drafted after fears that offshore betting was eroding the revenues of the Jockey Club which is taxed by the Hong Kong administration.—AFP