Macao's horse racing concession will be terminated by mutual agreement on 1 April 2024, ending racing in the territory, under a document signed by Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong for the SAR government and Macau Horse Racing Company Limited1. The racecourse land and related facilities revert to the Macao SAR free of charge1. The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau records that Macau Horse Racing Company, Ltd officially ended horse racing operations on 1 April 20242.
The government said the company applied to end the contract because its operations faced difficulties and racing no longer met current social development needs1. It also said the appeal of horse racing to local residents and visitors had declined in recent years, despite more than 40 years of racing history in Macao1.
"經雙方協議於2024年4月1日解除經營賽馬專營批給合同，並自該日起終止賽馬活動"
Under the agreement, the company must transport its existing horses properly to places outside Macao by 31 March 20251. The SAR government will temporarily provide the existing racecourse facilities for the company's use1.
Macao's horse racing dates back to 1842, with organized races from 1927 at a course in Areia Preta run by Club Internacional de Recreio e Corridas de Macau, Limitada, which held the horse racing monopoly at the time2. Racing was suspended in 1942 during the Sino-Japanese war because it depended on patrons from Hong Kong2. A Macau trotting club was formed in 1980, racing stopped in 1988, a Taiwan company bought the business and held its first flat race in September 1989, and STDM took it over for 1 billion and restored racing in February 19912. STDM had also taken over the Macau Jockey Club in 19902.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Horse racing concession term | 1 March 2018 to 31 August 20421 |
| Concession terminated, racing ends | 1 April 20241 |
| Horses to be moved out of Macao by | 31 March 20251 |
| Greyhound racing ended | 20 July 20182 |
One legal commentary states the horse racing concession expired in 2024 and that the MSAR and Macau Horse Racing Company Limited entered into a mutual agreement to terminate it effective 31 March 20244. The government announcement gives 1 April 2024 as the termination date1, and the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau gives 1 April 2024 as the date the company ended racing operations2.
What it means for players
Horse racing bets placed in Macao through the Macau Jockey Club's local pari-mutuel operation end with the closure, since the concession that permitted the activity is terminated1. Pari-mutuel betting in Macao covers animal racing, horse and greyhound only, and the greyhound track closed in 20184. The minimum age for taking part in pari-mutuel betting in Macao is 18, the territory's legal age, while the minimum age for entering, playing and working in casinos is 214. Casino gaming in Macao continues under six concessions, and the MSAR cannot grant more than six4. Sports lotteries in Macao permit bets on football and basketball only, and Chinese lotteries are limited to pacapio and chimpupio4. Whether any replacement horse racing product will be offered in Macao has not been reported.
What happens next
The company must move its horses out of Macao by 31 March 20251. The racecourse land and facilities pass to the Macao SAR free of charge, with the government temporarily letting the company use the existing facilities1. No plan for the future use of the site has been reported.
Sources4 sources
- NEWS GOV-MO: 特區政府與澳門賽馬公司協議解除賽馬批給合同, gcs.gov.mo
- Gaming Inspection, and Coordination Bureau. Macao SAR, dicj.gov.mo
- 澳門特別行政區 政府博彩監察協調局, dicj.gov.mo
- A general introduction to gambling law in Macau - Lexology, lexology.com
