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Hong Kong season finale breaks single race meeting turnover record

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An extraordinary 2022/23 Hong Kong horse racing season ended in style on Sunday, 16 July at Sha Tin Racecourse, with the 88th and final meeting of the season setting a new turnover record for both a single race meeting and the season finale meeting of HK$2.065 billion (approx. £202 million) – an increase of 1.3% year-on-year – since the establishment of the HKSAR in 1997.

In total, the season’s 88 meetings saw 835 Hong Kong races and 299 overseas simulcast races and posted turnover of HK$141.1 billion (approx. £13.8 billion), representing a slight 0.5% increase on the 2021/22 season.

The increasing popularity of the simulcast of overseas races and the increasing appreciation of the global nature of racing contributed to a 12.5% growth in simulcast turnover to over HK$11.8 billion (approx. £1.2 billion).

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While the majority of simulcast turnover comes from Hong Kong customers, which registered an 11.3% growth to HK$10.5 billion (approx. £1 billion), turnover generated via World Pool from the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s (HKJC) overseas customers and partners grew by 23% to HK$1.3 billion (approx. £127 million).

The turnover of all simulcast races conducted under the World Pool Brand (including both Hong Kong and overseas customers) increased from HK$6.2 billion (approx. £606 million) in the 2021/22 season to HK$7.3 billion (approx. £714 million), representing a 18.5% increase.

The HKJC have continued to increase the number of World Pool races to 24 days this season featuring many of the LONGINES Top 100 Group 1 races, while also broadening World Pool partnerships to include racing from Australia, Saudi Arabia and Germany for the first time.

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “Under such a challenging economic situation, our overall season racing turnover of HK$141.1 billion is very satisfactory. The strength of the turnover reflects the quality of our products and the on-going support of our customers. However, we will stay vigilant as there will be significant challenges from offshore bookmakers following the reopening of borders and also illegal bookmakers.

“To ensure our racing will stay competitive and maintain its world-class status, we will re-invest in racecourse assets and enhance customer experience. We will also grasp the unique development opportunity in the GBA under the ‘One Country Two Systems’ principle. After all, the Club is acting for the betterment of society. All we do is to contribute more to our community with a strategic focus that best meets the needs of Hong Kong people.”

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Zac Purton and John Size set new records

The 2022/23 season saw new records set on the track too, with trainer John Size becoming the first trainer to win 12 Hong Kong trainers’ championships. The Australian master trainer has now trained 1493 winners in Hong Kong and continues to excel with an uncanny ability to patiently develop young talent into elite top-level performers.

Zac Purton clinched his sixth Hong Kong jockeys’ championship with a single-season record of 179 wins, breaking Joao Moreira’s previous record of 170.

Home-grown jockey Vincent Ho received the Tony Cruz Award – given to the leading local rider with the most wins in the season – for a fourth time.

With only 1,250 horses in training – or around 0.7 percent of the world’s horse population – Hong Kong’s racing once again displayed its world-class quality in 2022/23.

Golden Sixty, the first horse in the history of Hong Kong racing to have secured three consecutive Horse of the Year crowns, and fellow G1 winners, Lucky Sweynesse and Romantic Warrior, are firmly entrenched in the top seven of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.

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They delivered astounding performances against international rivals in the international spotlight on FWD Champions Day on 30 April 2023 and led a clean sweep of the three Group 1 features of the day – G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m), G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) and G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m).

Engelbrecht-Bresges, said: “Hong Kong’s world-class racing is not only built on our state-of-art racing facilities, but more importantly a rich and growing pool of racing talents across all levels from trainers, jockeys, veterinarians to stable assistants and farriers. The Hong Kong Jockey Club is committed to attracting world-class talents from overseas and nurturing high-potential home-grown talents. I am delighted to see our racing talents and the horses they train, and take care of, deliver remarkable performances this season to local and global fans. They are the future of Hong Kong’s racing.”

Development of racing in Mainland China

Another important highlight of the 2022/23 season is that Conghua Racecourse (CRC) has demonstrated its critical role in supporting Hong Kong’s racing as well as the development of the equine industry in the Greater Bay Area.

CRC has fully utilised its state-of-the-art facilities to best accommodate, train and prepare horses to return to Sha Tin and Happy Valley racecourse for racing. In the past season, CRC has produced 172 wins by 138 horses.

Engelbrecht-Bresges said: “The importance of CRC will continue to grow further with the significant work we are undertaking with Sha Tin’s stable refurbishment to meet the future needs of trainers. CRC will also serve as the centre stage of international-standard racing in the Mainland, starting from the first race meeting in 2026 with the establishment of an iconic grandstand enabling visitors from all fronts to enjoy and experience Hong Kong’s world-class racing.”

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Hong Kong racing will restart for the 2023/24 season on 10 September.

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Scratch and Win: The UAE Lottery Releases Four New Scratch Cards

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The UAE Lottery has unveiled four brand-new Scratch Cards, each packed with instant-win potential and designed to bring more variety, excitement, and accessible fun to players across the country. From cricket-inspired thrills to glittering golden dreams, each card offers a unique theme, prize pool, and price point—there’s something for every player.

  • Wicket Winnings: Cricket fans, this one’s for you. With a sporty theme and a AED 5 entry point, Wicket Winnings offers quick fun and prizes up to AED 50,000.
  • Jungle Jewels – Explore the tropical world of Jungle Jewels, where rewards lie hidden behind every key. A top prize of AED 100,000 could be all yours for AED 10.
  • House of Gold: Turn dreams into treasure with this golden opportunity. For just AED 20, players can win up to AED 300,000 in shimmering prizes.
  • Cash Splash: Dive into instant excitement with this fast-paced, prize-packed card that delivers fun in waves. Scratch and splash your way to winnings of up to AED 1,000,000 for AED 50 per card.

Each new card brings a unique look, feel, and excitement of instant wins. Whether you’re in it for big wins or quick play, there’s a card for every mood. All four new Scratch Cards are now available at www.theuaelottery.ae. The UAE Lottery remains committed to setting high standards for regulated gaming. All games are licensed by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) and part of The UAE Lottery’s growing portfolio of fun, safe, and accessible games.

 

The post Scratch and Win: The UAE Lottery Releases Four New Scratch Cards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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ITL recruits new Business Development Manager for France & Benelux

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Innovative Technology (ITL) are delighted to welcome Stephane Bourdin as Business Development Manager. Stephane is based in Paris and is responsible for all ITL sales in France and The Benelux region. ITL are headquartered in the UK with several international offices and have two main divisions; cash validation equipment and age & identity biometric technology.

Commenting on his new position Stephane said, “I joined Innovative Technology at the end of April and am currently responsible for developing and strengthening our customer base in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. I manage business development and client relationships in the gaming, banking, and retail sectors.”

Welcoming Stephane to ITL, Thorsten Labusch, VP of Sales & Business Development said, “I would like to extend a warm welcome to Stephane. This region is important to our business and with his experience and local knowledge he is perfectly placed to communicate the benefits of implementing our solutions to potential customers. He is responsible for growing our presence in France & The Benelux for all our target sectors so his role is very wide-ranging. Stephane has worked in the cash validation industry for some time and already has in-depth knowledge of our solutions, and most importantly, he is familiar to many of our customers.”

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Stephane added, “I’ve always worked in cash handling for automated machines (vending, ticketing, gaming), so for 27 years I’ve been part of this industry in one way or another! My background enables me to offer customers the most effective solutions and I’m really looking forward to seeing some successful installs throughout the region. Regarding our biometrics solutions, I am regularly in contact with Stephan Rosseneu from Bergens our dedicated Trading Partner for France, and together we aim to achieve the best possible results for our age estimation and facial recognition side on the business. I also look forward to working with Moneytronic, our biometrics Trading Partner for the Netherlands.”

Thorsten concluded, “Stephane has an impressive knowledge of the cash handling market and I look forward to working with him to extend our reach and maintain a secure and productive customer base for ITL.”

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Digitain Expands Its European Presence with New Malta Office

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Digitain’s Malta office has become a key operational hub in the company’s European growth strategy, supporting its mission to strengthen partnerships and deliver localized, partner-first solutions.

Digitain, a global leader in sportsbook, casino and iGaming platform technologies, is proud to highlight the growing importance of its Malta office—now a central hub for commercial operations, regulatory engagement, and partner support across Europe.

Positioned in one of the world’s most respected iGaming jurisdictions, Digitain Malta serves as a central hub for commercial, compliance, and partner support functions, reinforcing the company’s dedication to serving regulated markets with agile, localized solutions.

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Aida Vardanyan, CEO at Digitain Malta, commented: “Our Malta office is more than just a location—it’s a strategic hub for our European operations. It helps us stay closely connected with our European partners, better understand local needs, and provide more responsive support. Being based here allows us to build stronger relationships and deliver on our long-term vision of enhanced regional partnerships.”

Gil Soffer, Chief Commercial Officer at Digitain Malta, added: “Malta gives us a unique advantage, as it allows us to operate at the heart of Europe’s iGaming ecosystem. We’re closer to our partners and better positioned to support market-specific demands. It’s a practical step that strengthens both our day-to-day operations and long-term ambitions across Europe and beyond.”

Digitain’s Malta office also serves as a regional base for key executives and support staff, enabling the company to support existing partnerships more directly while exploring new business opportunities throughout Europe and beyond. The establishment of the Malta office further highlights Digitain’s commitment to regulated markets and its mission to deliver innovative, partner-centric technologies to partners worldwide.

The post Digitain Expands Its European Presence with New Malta Office appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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