Game over? Shake-up proposed for Hong Kong internet cafes offering overnight stays

Authorities looking at two pathways to bring internet cafes under regulatory oversight, as some call for rethink to capitalise on esports boom

In a bustling Hong Kong commercial district, some internet cafes are shifting beyond serving as gaming hubs for young people looking to spend a few hours hunched over a computer playing video games.

Inside one such venue in Mong Kok, gamers can rent one of two private booths for about HK$200 (US$25.52) a night. With a look that can only be described as “emergency bunker”, the metal-walled rooms come equipped with a high-end gaming desktop, a sofa bed, budget-friendly food, and self-service laundry facilities.

Customers can even enjoy a hot shower for just HK$9 extra, while a set of disposable hygiene products, including a toothbrush, toothpaste, and slippers, goes for about HK$28.80.

Players can register for access with their Hong Kong identity card, an Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macau or a passport.

Besides the private booths, players can also choose other areas in the playing hall, which cost from HK$25.80 to HK$35.80 per hour.

But such venues risk falling foul of the law, as internet cafe operators need a hotel or guest house licence to let customers stay overnight.