HKJC Reports Record HK$331.7 Billion Betting Turnover, Confirms Conghua Racecourse Delay
Bastillepost · 10 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago8 MIN
Summary
The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) held its Annual General Meeting on September 2, 2026, unveiling exceptional results for the 2025/26 fiscal year ending June 30. Despite challenges including illegal gambling expansion, a HK$2.4 billion annual additional football betting tax, and the government's sudden suspension of a regulated basketball betting license, the club achieved record-breaking performance across all business segments. The club also announced the postponement of planned activities at Guangzhou's Conghua Racecourse, originally slated for October, due to updated risk assessments from mainland authorities .
Key Points
- Total betting and lottery turnover reached a historic HK$331.748 billion in 2025/26, representing a 3.6% year-on-year increase
- Horse racing betting grew 3.6% to HK$143.3 billion with gaming revenue of HK$199 billion, driven by composite pool betting from 26 countries totaling HK$34.3 billion
- Football betting reached a new peak of HK$179 billion, up 3.6%, benefiting from new league coverage and the summer world football event
- Mark Six lottery turnover increased 4.2% to HK$9.4 billion, generating HK$4.3 billion in gaming revenue as the product celebrated its 50th anniversary
- The club contributed HK$39.3 billion to society, including HK$29.3 billion in gambling and profit taxes representing 6.4% of total tax revenue, HK$1.4 billion to the Lottery Fund, and HK$8.6 billion in approved charitable donations supporting 191 projects
- Horse racing tourism achieved remarkable growth with 401,259 visitors to both racecourses, a 105% increase from the previous season and four times the 2023/24 figure
- The "Horse Year Race Day" at Sha Tin attracted 98,000 spectators, including over 20,000 mainland and overseas visitors—a single-day record
- Champion horses Grand Siegte (嘉應高昇) and Romantic Warrior (浪漫勇士) both earned Horse of the Year honors—the first time two horses shared this distinction
- The government suspended the regulated basketball betting license despite the club having invested significant resources in preparation, a decision the club respects while warning of continued illegal market expansion
- Kenneth Fok Hei-kwan (霍啟剛) was elected as a new director, while Andrew Yuen Ka-shun, Chan Tze-ching, Fung Yuen-mei Barbara, and Law Kai-wah were re-elected
- The club is investing heavily in technology including a new sports betting platform that will now focus on football following the basketball betting suspension
Why It Matters
The HKJC's record performance amid substantial challenges—including the additional football betting tax burden and regulatory uncertainty—demonstrates the resilience of its unique social contribution model, where racing entertainment and regulated betting fund critical public welfare. The postponement of Conghua Racecourse activities underscores the complexities of cross-border coordination, while the club's warning about illegal gambling market expansion highlights ongoing concerns about the societal impact of unregulated betting activities .
The HKJC's record performance amid substantial challenges—including the additional football betting tax burden and regulatory uncertainty—demonstrates the resilience of its unique social contribution model, where racing entertainment and regulated betting fund critical public welfare. The postponement of Conghua Racecourse activities underscores the complexities of cross-border coordination, while the club's warning about illegal gambling market expansion highlights ongoing concerns about the societal impact of unregulated betting activities .