Jockey Club seeks to expand horse betting activities
The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) proposed on Friday to increase the number of horse race betting activities by adding more simulcast races and simulcast days. Under its proposal, the club wants to increase the maximum number of simulcast races per season from 10 to 25 and the maximum number of races per simulcast day from nine to 12. It said the current quota system for simulcast races was introduced in 1989 and has been the same for 33 years, adding that it hopes the proposed changes can take place from the next racing season. The club said the current restrictions have become a major hurdle for it to simulcast the full programme of certain high quality race days and some major non-local races with Hong Kong horses competing. For example, the Australia Lightning Stakes and Doha Amir Trophy were both held on February 18 this year. While HKJC could simulcast all nine races of the Lightning Stakes, it was unable to cover The Amir Trophy which had two Hong Kong horses. The club said it expects this problem to occur more often with Hong Kong horses and jockeys resuming their international participation in the post-Covid period. It said it also believes the proposal will help tackle illegal betting by channelling betting demand to the legal method and it will unlikely give rise to any significant increase in public participation in betting. The proposal will need the approval of the secretary for home and youth affairs.