The Betting and Lotteries Commission (BLC) has recommended that The Hong Kong Jockey Club's proposal to increase the number of non-local races simulcast in Hong Kong should be approved, according to a Legislative Council brief published by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau1. The recommendation covers what the brief calls Proposal B, which the Executive Council accepted at its meeting on 17 June 20251.
Under the proposal, the maximum number of non-local races simulcast on local race days would rise from 25 to 40 for the 2025/26 racing season, and from 40 to 55 from the 2026/27 season1. The maximum number of simulcast days, meaning non-local race days, would rise from 37 to 53 for 2025/26, and from 53 to 70 from 2026/271.
The brief sets out the BLC's conclusion in its own words:
"Having carefully considered all relevant factors, BLC recommends that the proposals should be approved."
The brief states that local bets on simulcast races rose from HK$4,496 million in the 2019/20 financial year to HK$10,591 million in 2023/24, an increase of 135.6%1. It also cites HKJC figures that previous increases in simulcast opportunities were followed by a cumulative reduction of around 41% in illegal betting website visitations after 14 extra simulcast days per season were added from 2020/21, and an average reduction of around 12% after 15 extra simulcast races and a higher per-day race limit were added from 2023/241.
The same brief covers a separate proposal, Proposal A, to establish a regulatory regime for basketball betting modeled on the existing football betting regime, with the Betting Duty (Amendment) Bill 2025 introduced into the Legislative Council1. The brief reports HKJC figures that around 430 000 Hong Kong residents bet illegally on basketball in 2024, a 186% rise, with illegal basketball turnover estimated at HK$70 billion to HK$90 billion1. It states that the BLC's functions would be expanded to cover basketball betting, and that licensing conditions would bar bets on matches involving Hong Kong teams or taking place in Hong Kong, bets from juveniles and credit betting1.
What it means for players
Simulcast betting lets Hong Kong bettors wager on overseas races through HKJC's pools, including commingled pools and World Pool arrangements1. If the increases take effect as proposed, more overseas meetings would be available to bet on through the authorized channel across the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons1. The brief does not state which specific overseas races or meetings would be added, and this has not been reported1. Betting in Hong Kong remains limited to authorized outlets, which the brief lists as horse racing, football betting and Mark Six Lottery organized by HKJC, plus certain activities authorized under the Gambling Ordinance such as mahjong parlors1. For background on the authorized market, see Can I Gamble in Hong Kong? and Betting on Horse Racing in Hong Kong.
What happens next
The brief records that the Betting Duty (Amendment) Bill 2025 was published in the Gazette on 20 June 2025, with First Reading and the start of the Second Reading Debate on 2 July 20251. The brief does not set out a separate legislative timetable for the simulcast increases under Proposal B, and no commencement date for those changes has been reported1.
Sources1 sources
- Legislative Council brief, hyab.gov.hk
