LCSD introduces new measures to strengthen efforts to combat touting activities
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (December 22) that new measures will be implemented to strengthen efforts to combat unauthorised transfer of bookings of LCSD recreation and sports facilities/venues (commonly referred to as touting activities).
The new measures are as follows:
(1) Penalties for using computer programmes or automated tools to interfere with SmartPLAY
To ensure the fair use of the SmartPLAY system, the LCSD will combat improper conduct involving the use of computer programmes or other automated tools to make booking transactions or interfere with the normal operation of the system. Specifically, SmartPLAY has incorporated conditions prohibiting the use of computer programmes or other automated tools to make bookings (www.smartplay.lcsd.gov.hk/website/en/about/conditions-of-use-of-smartplay.html). Starting from January 21, 2026, if users breach the conditions concerned, the LCSD will immediately suspend their accounts for 360 days without giving any prior notice. The LCSD once again reminds users of the need to comply with the "Conditions of Use of SmartPLAY", to properly manage the information of their SmartPLAY accounts, and not to disclose their user account numbers and passwords to others. Users having so provided their user account numbers and passwords to a third party are advised to change their passwords as soon as possible and regularly update them to prevent unauthorised use of their accounts.
(2) New measures for booking indoor basketball and volleyball courts
Currently, a hirer who books turf soccer pitch through SmartPLAY is required to provide the SmartPLAY user account information of four other users. The hirer and three of the users named in the booking are required to check-in together and be present during the use of the booked session. This arrangement, aiming to ensure that hirers are genuine users, is generally effective since implementation. It will apply to indoor basketball and volleyball courts, which are popular facilities, starting from January 21, 2026. A hirer is required to provide the information of two other users when booking an indoor basketball or volleyball court. The hirer and one of the users named in the booking are required to check-in together and be present during use of the booked session. Details are available at the LCSD's thematic webpage "Improvement measures to booking and use of recreation and sports facilities" (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/facilities/facilitiesbooking/procedure/ls_fac_improve.html).
(3) Standby arrangement no longer applicable to indoor basketball and volleyball courts
Under the existing measures applicable to some recreation and sports facilities, if a hirer does not take up the booked facility 10 minutes after the booked session starts, the LCSD may at its discretion permit other users to use the facility free of charge for the same purpose as the original hirer (commonly referred to as the standby arrangement), on condition that there are no other same-type facilities available for booking at the material time. In this connection, the LCSD has observed that certain hirers of indoor basketball and volleyball courts deliberately do not take up the booked sessions on the day of use, and are suspected to have engaged in touting activities by arranging for other users to use the booked courts under the standby arrangement. To combat such abuse of the standby arrangement, and making reference to the current arrangement for turf football pitches, the standby arrangement will no longer be applicable to indoor basketball and volleyball courts with effect from December 30, 2025.
LCSD will closely monitor the effectiveness of the new measures, and continue to enhance SmartPLAY as well as implement further anti-touting measures as necessary.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), Photo source: reference image
