While smokers in Hong Kong seek their havens from the smoking ban, a businessman tried to take advantage of a gray area in the law.

The operator of K C City, a mah-jong parlour that has obtained an exemption from the smoking ban, advertised lunch sets with the promise of "smoking allowed".

However, a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said that the parlor's exemption would be revoked if the business method has changed toward that of a restaurant and that K C City could face a HK$50,000 ($6,415) fine.

(Ming Pao)