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Lyzhyn, 62, a Russian-born Ukrainian and veteran seaman, and his colleagues, refuse to leave their 140 metre (460 foot) casino cruiser the New Imperial Star until they get the six months of pay they say they are owed.
The New Imperial Star was used as a casino ship, shuttling a mostly Chinese clientele from eastern Hong Kong into international waters where gambling is legal. For two years, it picked up. The first casino ship in Hong Kong came into being in 1988, a refurbished container ship that was renamed the Oriental Princess, owned by a Macau gambling tycoon named Yip Hon, writes Sonny. Hong Kong residents are permitted to bet online with the Hong Kong Jockey Club. The Hong Kong Jockey Club is authorized to offer betting on lotteries, horse racing and football over the internet. In 2002, the Hong Kong Legislative Council banned offshore gambling, including offshore internet gambling, by passing the Gambling (Amendment) Ordinance. 3.19 As compared with other jurisdictions, the scenarios the participation of gambling activities of Hong Kong people were in line with experiences overseas. The prevalence of legal and authorized gambling (that is, Mark Six and local horse racing) among the general population aged 15-64, was 67.6% in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong's Marine Department has impounded the ship due to what it called 'serious deficiencies' found during an inspection.
Rations are running low, the ship's owners can't be reached and the cobalt blue felt covering the 16 baccarat tables is gathering dust.
Hong Kong Gambling Boat
'There's one egg per crew member per day,' Lyzhyn told Reuters onboard the ship, which is moored a short barge ride away from a bustling port in eastern Hong Kong.
Breakfast was particularly miserable: 'No sausages, no bacon, no milk, nothing.'
Hong Kong's casino cruises flourished alongside the world's biggest gambling hub of Macau, across the mouth of the Pearl River from Hong Kong, until 2014.
It was then that Chinese President Xi Jinping launched a wide-reaching anti-graft campaign, snaring officials and powerful businessmen who had used Macau as a cash playground.
The gamblers have been steering clear.
'Really, business has gone down,' Lyzhyn said, dressed in a tan uniform with gold and black lapels.
'One year ago we had 200 passengers, before we stopped operating we had only 50.'
CONVOLUTED OWNERSHIP
Hong Kong Gambling Boat
'There's one egg per crew member per day,' Lyzhyn told Reuters onboard the ship, which is moored a short barge ride away from a bustling port in eastern Hong Kong.
Breakfast was particularly miserable: 'No sausages, no bacon, no milk, nothing.'
Hong Kong's casino cruises flourished alongside the world's biggest gambling hub of Macau, across the mouth of the Pearl River from Hong Kong, until 2014.
It was then that Chinese President Xi Jinping launched a wide-reaching anti-graft campaign, snaring officials and powerful businessmen who had used Macau as a cash playground.
The gamblers have been steering clear.
'Really, business has gone down,' Lyzhyn said, dressed in a tan uniform with gold and black lapels.
'One year ago we had 200 passengers, before we stopped operating we had only 50.'
CONVOLUTED OWNERSHIP
Do you have to pay federal income tax on gambling winnings. Lyzhyn said the ship was detained in October last year after the owners failed to pay maintenance fees and as a result, it did not pass its inspections.
The crew is waiting to be paid salaries totaling $400,000, he said.
He said he did not know who the ship's owners were but it was managed by a company called Skywill Management Limited.
Phone numbers for Skywill did not work while Sea Hawk Asia, the captain's previous manager, said it was not able to comment on the situation.
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Prior to 2014, there were 12 casino ships operating out of Hong Kong but Lyzhyn said that number has plunged to four.
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The cruises typically pick up passengers at the teeming Tsim Sha Tsui pier in Hong Kong's Kowloon district and set sail at 8 p.m. for international waters, returning to Hong Kong 12 hours later, after a night of gambling.
The boats are mostly owned by Macau junket companies which make use of convoluted ownership structures with multiple investors.
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On the New Imperial Star, flies buzz around the kitschy chandeliers and the crew of 20 Ukrainians, 18 from Myanmar and 8 Chinese can only wait. They may be there a while yet.
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Lyzhyn said he hoped Hong Kong authorities would formally impound the ship in two weeks and then a legal process would start which he hoped would end, after a few months, with him and his crew being paid.
