A proposal is now before Hong Kongs Legislative Council to expand the number of non-local horse races simulcast during the local racing calendar in the Special Administrative Region (SAR) to 40 during the 2025/26 season and to 55 in the 2026/27 racing season. As of now, there are 25 non-local simulcast races broadcast per season.
What are the proposed changes?
, the number of non-local simulcast races on non-local racing dates would increase from 37 to 53 days in the same period. This would later be risen to 70 days for the following season. The proposal comes amid significant increase in the number of local bets on simulcast racing, which has seen a growth of 135 percent from the 2019/20 financial year to HK$10.59 billion ($1.35 billion) in the 2023/24 financial year. This sharp uptick followed an earlier increase in allowed simulcast races.
Additionally, the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) also reported double-digit reductions in visits to illegal betting websites, following the increase of simulcast races. Authorities indicate that “while we do not have a policy to promote the international standing of HKJCs horse racing, maintaining HKJCs position in the international horse racing industry is arguably in line with the Governments objective of telling good stories of Hong Kong.”
The HKJC currently operates under a licence that allows betting on no more than 88 local race days, 25 simulcast races per season, and 37 simulcast race days, with no more than 12 non-local races per day during a racing season. Additionally, the club estimates that passing the proposed amendments could bring an additional HK$1.82 billion ($231.85 million) in betting duty revenue between the 2025/26 and 2028/29 seasons.
Hong Kong considering legalising basketball betting
Under Hong Kong’s prohibitive gambling laws, legal wagering in the country is confined to the HKJC, which is responsible for horse racing, football wagering, and the Mark Six lottery. The club, a government-sanctioned and tightly controlled organisation, distributes its profits to philanthropy. In a recent development, the Hong Kong government is now considering legalising basketball betting to bring it under regulation. The HKJC estimates legal basketball betting will be around HK$28 billion ($3.57 billion), as quoted by media.
As a part of this process, government has completed a public consultation on regulating basketball betting, which ended on 2 May 2025. The public consultation conducted by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau revealed that 94 percent of the 1,063 respondents favoured the initiative. The findings have been submitted to Hong Kongs Legislative Council for further discussion.?The proposal, which seeks to amend the Betting Duty Ordinance, includes provisions to authorise basketball betting under a regulated framework. The government plans to issue a betting licence to a single operator, most likely the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and impose a 50 percent tax on net betting proceeds, defined as the total amount wagered minus payouts.??
HKJC’s latest initiative
In May, the HKJC unveiled an initiative to position itself as a global sports entertainment brand. The move signals a shift from a traditional racing institution to a broader cultural and entertainment platform centred around horse racing, equestrian sport, and lifestyle content. According to HKJC, the strategy includes a collaboration with XIX Entertainment, a prominent entertainment firm known for its global music and media ventures. The HKJC said it intends to use this transformation to enhance Hong Kongs visibility as a hub for international exchange, tourism and connectivity.
For a while now, Hong Kong is positioning horse racing as a key element of its tourism strategy to attract affluent visitors. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui emphasised that horse racing in the city is more than just a gambling activity. The official said the sport is a well-established part of Hong Kongs culture and continues to be a major draw for international and mainland visitors.
