Hong Kong’s racing wagering turnover reached HK$138.85 billion ($17.83 billion) in the 2024/25 season, marking a 3 percent increase from the previous year as the territory’s racing industry rebounds from last season’s decline.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) announced the figures on Thursday, calling the growth an “encouraging return” following a 4.5 percent drop in the 2023/24 season. The recovery was driven by strategic initiatives including optimized jackpot offerings, improved field sizes, and increased tourism from mainland China and international markets.
“This is a very encouraging return to growth after the 4.5 percent decline last season and reflects the success of strategies introduced last year,” the HKJC stated in its season review.
The club’s global expansion strategy delivered strong results, with record commingling turnover from Hong Kong races reaching HK$31.76 billion ($4.08 billion), a 10.1 percent increase year-on-year. Commingling enables international bettors to wager alongside local punters, broadening the betting pool.
A highlight came during January’s Chinese New Year Raceday, when commingling turnover surged 23.7 percent to HK$510.4 million ($65.6 million), surpassing the HK$500 million ($64.2 million) mark for the first time and setting a new record.
HKJC CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges credited the success to Hong Kong’s rising appeal as a racing tourism destination. “Since the Policy Address of HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee, we have been able to attract even more mainland and overseas tourists, who have come to our racecourses in record numbers to experience our city’s signature sport,” he said.
Racecourse attendance exceeded 1.7 million, including a record 195,786 mainland visitors — a 110 percent jump from 93,000 the previous season. Key events such as Chinese New Year, the BMW Hong Kong Derby, and FWD Champions Day each drew about 9,000 tourists.
The World Pool strategy, which offers global parimutuel wagering on premier international races, also saw expansion. The number of World Pool races rose from 258 to 296, including all 12 of the club’s Group 1 races for the first time, as well as top races from New Zealand. Turnover into the World Pool climbed 8.4 percent compared to the prior season.
The season featured 88 race meetings, comprising 847 Hong Kong races and 393 overseas simulcast races. The simulcast program spotlighted 71 of the world’s top 100 Group 1 races, up from 61 last season, with total simulcast turnover rising 2.3 percent to HK$13.11 billion ($1.68 billion).
With government approval to expand simulcasting, the maximum number of simulcast days will rise from 37 to 53 in 2025/26 and to 70 in 2026/27. The number of simulcast races will increase from 25 to 40 in 2025/26 and to 55 in 2026/27.
“Hong Kong racing is truly world-class, and I am immensely proud of the performances of our champion horses, jockeys and trainers,” said Engelbrecht-Bresges. “These achievements reinforce the position of Hong Kong racing as a world-class sport and entertainment experience.”
The results strengthen Hong Kong’s standing as a hub for global wagering, with 26 countries and over 70 partners now commingling on local races. The club is also preparing for regular racing at Conghua Racecourse, set to begin in October 2026, which will further enhance the territory’s racing infrastructure.
