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Wagering bounces back, hits US$17.7 billion. The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) ended the 2024/25 racing season on a positive note, reporting that local racing total wagering turnover hit HK$138.85 billion, or approximately US$17.7 billion. This is a 3 percent year-on-year rise, which reverses the 4.5 percent drop the racing industry suffered only one season ago.
What Drove the Upswing?
Hong Kong’s racing turnover didn’t recover by accident. According to information from the HKJC, several factors contributed to the bounceback. Optimized jackpot offerings and bigger field sizes were key, boosting both momentum and excitement at the track. But the impact wasn’t limited to local players—international sports tourism and the ongoing global push for Hong Kong racing, particularly through commingling and the expanded international simulcast under the World Pool Strategy, provided an extra lift to results.
Commingling Sets a New Record
A season highlight was the stunning increase in commingling turnover, which gained 10.1 percent year-on-year to a new high of HK$31.76 billion (US$4.05 billion). Simulcast turnover, which includes races transmitted internationally and wagers received from abroad, grew by 2.3 percent to HK$13.11 billion (US$1.67 billion). The season saw significant simulcast racing at 393—a 7 percent gain over last year—fostering overseas betting and exposure.
Race Days and Attendance
The 2024/25 season race calendar featured 88 meetings, including seven summer series special fixtures. Overall, supporters were treated to 847 Hong Kong races and close to 400 simulcast races. Attendance figures at the races were a testament to the resurgence, with over 1.7 million fans passing through the gates for the season. Most notable, though, was the rise in mainland Chinese visitors by 110 percent to 195,786 attendees. The HKJC cited official endorsement, like the Hong Kong Chief Executive’s mention of horse racing tourism in his policy address, as being responsible for fueling this flow and increasing the sport’s visibility on the tourism platform.
Prizes and Bigger Ambitions
The HKJC distributed a record of prize money this season, with HK$1.74 billion (US$222 million) awarded. In the future, according to the Club, there are plans to further enhance prize funds for its flagship Group 1 events, especially for major events like the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races and FWD Champions Day during the upcoming 2025/26 season.
Setting the Stage for the Future
HKJC Chief Executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges described last year as “an amazing season” for Hong Kong racing that caught the attention of both locals and audiences across the globe. With increased co-operation in horse racing tourism and targeted partnerships, the Club states it is poised to continue this trend in the coming season and further raise Hong Kong’s profile as a world-class hub for global racing and entertainment.
Source: Inside Asian Gaming (IAG)
