User registration for LCSD’s new intelligent sports and recreation services booking and information system exceeds 100 000

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (July 31) that more than 100 000 users have registered in its new intelligent sports and recreation services booking and information system, SmartPLAY. Members of the public are urged to register as early as possible. All people, including existing Leisure Link patrons, must register and complete an identity authentication process before using the new system.

     Users can utilise 375 new Smart Self-service Stations at around 240 leisure venues (including District Leisure Service Offices (DLSOs) in various districts). Apart from submitting their registration, users can also complete identity authentication and account activation procedures at the Smart Self-service Stations. SmartPLAY customer service ambassadors have been deployed at leisure venues in various districts to answer public enquiries and assist users to complete their registration through the Smart Self-service Stations. Users who successfully register for SmartPLAY on-site will receive a souvenir while stocks last. 

     A dedicated website (www.smartplay.lcsd.gov.hk) and a mobile app (My SmartPLAY) are also provided for user registration. If users complete their registration through "iAM Smart", they can have their SmartPLAY accounts instantly activated. 

     To familiarise members of the public with the registration of SmartPLAY user account, and with the making of facility booking and programme enrolment in the new system, the LCSD is going to hold a series of "SmartPLAY" Smart Way Workshops (www.smartplay.lcsd.gov.hk/website/en/news/9984.html), which are now open for applications. Some of the workshops are dedicated to citizens aged 60 or above. Members of the public are welcome to join the workshops for free. Those interested are invited to check out details on this website.

     Moreover, SmartPLAY Roadshow Corners have been set up in designated sports centres in 18 districts and will operate till October for pre-trial use by the public to experience main functions of the new system. For details of venues with a SmartPLAY Roadshow Corner, please refer to the press release on 
June 13 (www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202306/13/P2023061300426.htm).    

New Smart Self-service Stations
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     Hong Kong identity card readers and octopus card readers are installed at each Smart Self-service Station. SmartPLAY users can book recreation and sports facilities and perform self-service check-in for booked sessions or programmes with their smart identity cards conveniently.

     Each Smart self-service station is provided with a touch screen with privacy filter as well as anti-peek acrylic panels on both sides. The Smart Self-service Stations are accessible to wheelchair users as suitable space is reserved at the base of the station. For people in need like wheelchair users or children, they can simply tap the icon at the bottom of the screen and then the screen will be adjusted automatically for their convenient use.

Mobile app
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     In addition to its core functions like registering personal accounts, booking/enrolment for recreation and sports facilities or programmes, making e-payment and applying for a refund, SmartPLAY will provide a series of personalised services, including management of "My Profile", self-service check-in of facility sessions and programmes, and checking booked recreation and sports facilities and enrolled programmes at any time. Users can also set their preferences, and SmartPLAY will remind them automatically when their favourite recreation and sports facilities or programmes are available for booking or enrolment. The system also has a function to push various e-reminders or e-notifications. In case there are any special arrangements for leisure venues or programmes due to inclement weather, SmartPLAY will send notifications to alert users.

     Moreover, the capacity of the new system will be increased from being able to accommodate around 1 000 concurrent users at present to 10 000 users. It is believed that this would enable a faster login of the system by members of the public for booking.

Booking of fee and non-fee charging recreation and sports facilities
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     In addition to the provision of booking services for general fee charging facilities, SmartPLAY also provides booking services for certain non-fee charging facilities which can only be booked in DLSOs currently, such as outdoor hard-surface soccer pitches, basketball courts and volleyball courts.

     The existing arrangement of booking of turf soccer pitches through online balloting will continue and will be combined with the application for non-fee charging outdoor hard-surface ball courts for processing as a single application. Users can submit a balloting application 14 to 20 days before using a facility on a daily basis. Each user can submit a total of three balloting choices in one application, including sessions of turf soccer pitches (fee charging) and/or hard-surface ball courts (non-fee charging). Sessions will be allocated by computer ballot on the closing date (13 days before the day of use) for applications. The remaining sessions will be released for booking by members of the public on a first-come, first-served basis seven days before the day of use.

     At present, Leisure Link patrons must fill in the patron numbers of four other users when submitting balloting applications for turf soccer pitches. The hirer and three of the users named in the application must sign in and be present during the use of the booked session. To further combat suspected touting activities, the abovementioned arrangements will be extended to the booking of turf soccer pitches on a first-come, first-served basis after the launch of SmartPLAY.   

     During the initial stage after the launch of the new system, other recreation and sports facilities will continue to be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The LCSD will consider adopting balloting mechanism for the allocation of other popular recreation and sports facilities as appropriate.

Enrolment of recreation and sports programmes  
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     For the enrolment ballots of training courses and recreation activities, users can submit an online balloting application within the first seven days of each month for the programmes to be held by the 18 DLSOs, water sports centres and Tuen Mun Recreation and Sports Centre in the coming month. They can enrol in a maximum of 10 programmes with a maximum of three allotments in one application. Successful applicants will receive notifications while confirmation or electronic payment can also be made through SmartPLAY. The public can also check the ballot result via the system. The remaining places will then be released for open enrolment on a first-come, first-served basis. Regarding the arrangement of competitions, users only need to submit one single online balloting application at a specified date each month to enrol in competitions to be held two months later. The balloting arrangement for competitions is similar to that of training courses.

     For programmes open for enrolment on a first-come, first-served basis like the programmes designated for persons with disabilities, users can complete enrolment as well as making confirmation or payment by electronic means within the specified period via the My SmartPLAY app, SmartPLAY website or Smart Self-service Stations at leisure venues.  

     After the inception of SmartPLAY, priority in balloting and place allocation will be given to "new applicants" (those who have not enrolled in the same type and level of training courses or recreation activities in the past 12 months). The remaining places, if any, will be allocated to those who are not "new applicants". In case there are still remaining places after balloting, they will be opened for all the applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. At present, such arrangements are only applied to multi-gym fitness training courses but it will be extended to cover other training courses as well as recreation and sports activities after the SmartPLAY is in use.   

     To increase the chance for participation in programmes by members of the public, SmartPLAY will check if the time of the training courses and recreation activities that a user has applied for on a first-come, first-served basis or submitted a balloting application for overlaps with that of the programmes he/she has successfully enrolled in. Overlapping cases will not be accepted. 
  
     For more information on SmartPLAY, please visit the SmartPLAY website (www.smartplay.lcsd.gov.hk), or call the SmartPLAY hotline at 3954 5150.