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Hong Kong season finale breaks single race meeting turnover record
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).
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.”
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.
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.”
Hong Kong racing will restart for the 2023/24 season on 10 September.
Latest News
13 gambling company executives in appeal against ATG’s proposal to raise gambling tax in Sweden
BOS – The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling – is today submitting a letter to the government. The letter is signed by 13 gambling company executives and BOS’s secretary general. In the letter, the signatories urge the government not to support the gambling company ATG in their proposal to raise the general gambling tax in favour of a reduction in the tax on horse racing.
As a main argument, the signatories highlight the fact that the level of the gambling tax affects the proportion of consumers who choose to gamble on the legal licensed gambling market, and that too many consumers are already opting out of the safety of the licensed market with its extensive consumer protection.
“Horse betting has a channelisation rate of between 98-99 percent. Online casino, according to the most optimistic estimates, has a channelisation rate of between 72-82 percent. The higher the tax, the greater the risk that the consumer will choose unlicensed gambling, where neither gambling tax nor consumer protection exists. To then lower the gambling tax for horse betting, which already has a very strong channelisation, and raise it for online casino, which has a very weak channelisation, would be completely incomprehensible. At least for those who prioritize consumer protection,” says BOS Secretary General Gustaf Hoffstedt.
You can read the full letter here: Letter to Government on ATG gambling duty
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FBMDS proudly unveils the Momentum Series, a crash gaming collection built to deliver fast-paced thrills, immersive visuals, and strong retention for online casino operators worldwide with the Piñata Rush, Magical Garden and Arctic Jumper titles.
Designed “for emotions” and “born to captivate”, the Momentum Series includes three high-performing titles — Piñata Rush, Magical Garden, and Arctic Jumper — that redefine the crash genre with dynamic gameplay, deep personalization, and stunning 3D environments.
The Momentum Series was created to give players more control, excitement, and emotional connection while providing operators with games designed for longer sessions and better retention metrics. Each title combines intuitive gameplay with high volatility, 97%+ RTP, and a responsive, mobile-first design, ensuring performance across devices and browsers. Players can personalize their experience with auto bets, double bets, and auto cashouts, adapting each round to their individual risk strategy.
Piñata Rush offers a colorful, multiplayer crash gaming experience set in lively Mexican-inspired streets. Players can track others’ progress in real time and enjoy a community-driven atmosphere that keeps engagement levels high. With 97.06% RTP and features such as Multiplayer, Auto Play, Auto Cash-Out, and a configurable Max Bet from 100x to 1000x, this crash game provides vibrant entertainment across Android, iOS, Mac OS, and Windows.
Magical Garden immerses players in a lush 3D fantasy world where serenity meets suspense. This single-player experience blends calm and thrill through Auto Play and Auto Cash-Out functions, allowing personalized strategies and a Max Bet configurable from 100x to 1000x. With 97% RTP, it offers operators a high-performing product with wide cross-platform compatibility.
Arctic Jumper brings adrenaline to the frozen north with a fully 3D single-player experience. Its immersive visuals and smooth performance are enhanced by Auto Play, Auto Cash-Out, and customizable betting options that match each player’s risk profile. Operating at 97% RTP, this title delivers consistent engagement and retention potential for competitive markets.
“The Momentum Series represents FBMDS’ evolution into crash gaming — a genre built on emotion, timing, and control,” said Renato Almeida, Director at FBMDS. “With Piñata Rush, Magical Garden, and Arctic Jumper, we’re delivering fast, flexible, and emotionally charged experiences that empower both players and operators.”
FBMDS brings a winning portfolio of innovative iGaming solutions, blending tradition with cutting-edge technology to deliver engaging, reliable, and profitable gaming experiences for operators worldwide. With a focus on slots, table games, video bingo, and now crash games, FBMDS empowers partners to scale and succeed in competitive markets.
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- Sunny feel-good vibes for everyone: Cozy Coast now available for iOS and Android
- New trailer highlights entertaining storytelling, merge-2 puzzles, and diverse gameplay elements
- Upcoming updates with new events and challenges for long-lasting fun
A beach adventure with heart: InnoGames, one of Germany’s leading developers and publishers of mobile and browser games, today launches Cozy Coast worldwide, bringing sunny feel-good moments to smartphones and tablets. The game is now available for free on the App Store and Google Play Store. Players in selected regions have already explored the Mediterranean island of Calista and experienced the captivating story of the two protagonists Mia and Elara. The unique mix of merge-2 puzzles, exploration, and heartfelt moments is clearly resonating with players, earning 4.8 on the App Store and 4.6 on Google Play out of 5 stars.
With today’s launch, InnoGames expands the game’s language support. Alongside the existing languages German, English, and French, Cozy Coast is now also available in Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish.
New Features, More Events: Regular Updates for Lasting Fun
In Cozy Coast, players accompany best friends Mia and Elara on a journey across the picturesque Mediterranean island of Calista. For Mia, the island is filled with childhood memories, but its former charm has faded. Together, they set out to restore the island. The gameplay centers on merge-2 mechanics: By skillfully combining items, players fulfill the wishes of island residents, collect resources, and restore buildings to unlock new areas of Calista. Along their journey, Mia and Elara encounter interesting characters, discover secrets, and explore the environment.
Check out the trailer on youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=hpacBlPfio4
Since the initial launch of Cozy Coast in selected regions, the development team has steadily expanded the merge-2 adventure. Customizable portraits, 3D decoration events, special quests with unique rewards, and advanced challenges for experienced players ensure there’s always something new to discover. The holiday season has also arrived: players can earn daily rewards, including the festive avatar “Winter Elara”.
Key Features of Cozy Coast
- Merge items: Strategically combine items to create new and higher-value objects
- Restore the seaside promenade: Renovate abandoned buildings to unlock new areas
- Adventure in paradise: Follow best friends Mia and Elara as they discover hidden places and uncover the secrets of a corporation with questionable intentions
- Characters with personality: Meet fascinating characters. Every encounter comes with a story – sometimes touching, sometimes mysterious, but always full of emotion
- Fresh challenges every day: Participate in competitive, daily, weekly, and seasonal events like exploration quests, puzzle collections, decoration and special story-driven missions to receive exciting rewards and enjoy lasting gameplay
- A personal touch: Use portrait customization to bring individuality and personality to every adventure.
- Unwind in a Mediterranean setting: Experience stress-free gameplay paired with a captivating story of friendship, courage, and hope
- Free to play without restrictions: Available worldwide on iOS and Android (except in Russia and China)
Cozy Coast is available on the App Store for iOS and on Google Play for Android.
For the latest news about the game, visit the official website or follow Cozy Coast on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
The post Cozy Coast Launches Worldwide: Beach Adventure from InnoGames Now Available appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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