Asia
Record turnover at Happy Valley for Hong Kong racing’s season finale
Hong Kong’s “season like no other” ended at Happy Valley on Wednesday 15th July with turnover of HK$1.6 billion (£160 million), a record for a fixture at the iconic city-side venue.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club navigated the uncertainty of the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic decisively, implementing measures that protected public and employee health, and enabled the sport to continue; and also managed issues related to demonstrations in the city, which caused significant traffic disruptions to customers and staff, and which had a significant impact on attendance.
Mr. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, commented: “While we recognise that the Coronavirus situation is an ongoing battle, and we must remain vigilant, I can say that it has been heartening to see the Hong Kong community pull together and play a crucial part in combatting its effects; the Hong Kong Jockey Club has been quick to reflect and enact those safeguarding measures and policies while continuing to race.
“We are pleased to have been able to complete a full season but of course our prime focus throughout, and a real challenge, was to act responsibly to protect the public health and safety of our staff, customers and the wider community, at every turn, while at the same time balancing that with the desire for our sport to continue.”
Turnover and contributions
Hong Kong’s total racing turnover in the 2019/20 season was HK$121.6 billion (£12.2 billion) which was down only 2.6 percent on the previous season and was still the third-highest ever despite COVID-19 placing severe pressure on domestic wagering in Hong Kong.
The turnover on Hong Kong racing by Hong Kong customers understandably declined by 8.3 percent due to the effects of the Club’s 100 OCCBs (off-course betting branches) being closed or operating on reduced opening from early February, and fans unable to attend the racecourse for almost half the season.
Turnover dipped by almost 26 percent in early February but wagering rallied through the later part of the season and climaxed with Happy Valley’s record turnover at the finale fixture. The impacts on OCBBs necessitated a change and resulted in the Club helping customers migrate online.
There were further positives as total commingling turnover increased to a record HK$23.58 billion (£2.36 billion), up 25.3 percent on last season; and Hong Kong racing fans continued to show a growing interest in the sport overseas, as evidenced in the 12.9 percent increase in the Club’s simulcast turnover.
Mr. Engelbrecht-Bresges said: “Our overall season’s racing turnover of more than HK$121 billion is pleasing in light of the significant challenges as it only reduced by 2.6 percent. Commingling continues to be a huge growth area for the Club.”
Mr. Engelbrecht-Bresges noted the “strategic value of commingling,” in which people from around the world participate and bet on Hong Kong racing, and observed that the figures show the global appeal and growing interest in Hong Kong racing around the world.
“We are pleased with how popular our simulcasts are with Hong Kong customers and we are keen to do more,” he said.
“Furthermore, we are pleased with how much interest our customers have in our simulcast programmes from the leading race meetings around the world. We saw this even more in the second World Pool at Royal Ascot, which proved a huge success – with individual race turnover up by more than 49 percent on 2019 – and we look forward to expanding the World Pool concept next season, with Hong Kong as a vital hub for global wagering.”
The Hong Kong Jockey Club runs racing with a core purpose being the betterment of society as a whole; the Club is the city’s largest tax payer and this racing season alone has paid HK$12.113 billion (£1.21 billion) to the Hong Kong government, while a significant contribution, including special emergency COVID-19 funding support, has been paid in charitable contributions to a wide range of causes.
Mr. Engelbrecht-Bresges said: “There was a compelling public interest element to our desire to continue racing through COVID-19, from Chinese New Year to the end of the season, during which time our tax contribution from racing was more than HK$6.2 billion (£620 million). This has enabled us to not only keep donations at last year’s level but also increase it due to our contributions via the COVID-19 Emergency Fund.
“We are incredibly proud that the Club could continue to make such a contribution and, the benefits of completing a full season will be felt by millions of people across Hong Kong over the coming months.”
The CEO praised the resilience of the Hong Kong community and thanked racing fans, owners, Club members, horsemen, the media, and Club staff in particular, for their patience, dedication and efforts in ensuring the 2019/20 racing season was able to continue in safety.
Powered by WPeMatico
International Game Technology announced that it will showcase an exciting portfolio of locally attuned gaming innovations for the Asia-Pacific market at G2E Asia 2024 at The Venetian Macao, June 4-6. The products within IGT’s G2E Asia 2024 portfolio are designed to enhance player entertainment, drive performance, and enable operators to diversify their gaming floors with research-backed solutions.
“It’s great to see G2E Asia return to The Venetian Macao in 2024. With Asia being a growth market for IGT, we are excited to connect with our customers and present a localized games and systems portfolio that can create new opportunities for IGT and our customers throughout the region,” said Dallas Orchard, IGT Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Gaming APAC.
“IGT’s G2E Asia 2024 portfolio is anchored in exciting new link and standalone games that build on the momentum of many of our highest performing titles in the region of the last year. G2E Asia 2024 will be the debut of Cash Cove Frenzy, an action-packed multi-level progressive based on one of IGT’s most popular titles in the region, and Jetsetter Gold Link, a new-to-Asia game that can help our customers diversify their gaming floors. We will also spotlight the many operator and player benefits of IGT ADVANTAGE, our highly scalable casino management system that has strong market penetration in Asia and beyond,” said Charles Seo, IGT Senior Director of Commercial Strategy, Asia.
G2E Asia 2024 attendees will have the opportunity to experience an array of IGT solutions in the Company stand A801.
The post IGT Showcases New Locally Attuned Link Games and Systems Innovations at G2E Asia 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
GR8 Tech, an award-winning iGaming solutions provider, will exhibit at SiGMA Asia on June 3-5, marking a significant expansion into the region. Attendees can visit GR8 Tech at stand D806, where they will have the opportunity to explore the provider’s comprehensive ecosystem of solutions, featuring the flagship GR8 Sportsbook, the robust GR8 Casino, and innovative standalone products, including but not limited to CRM, Sportsbook iFrame, Feed, and Payment Gateway.
“SiGMA Asia provides us with a unique platform to connect directly with local operators and stakeholders, and we are excited to demonstrate how our technology can help them achieve greater profitability and efficiency,” said Evgen Belousov, CEO of GR8 Tech. “This is a milestone moment for GR8 Tech as we bring our advanced betting and casino solutions to one of the most dynamic gaming markets in the world.”
Additionally, GR8 Tech, in collaboration with BETER, will host an exclusive invite-only party on June 3. This event is a perfect opportunity for valued clients and partners to relax and network in a festive setting, celebrating our continued partnerships and future successes.
Meet GR8 Tech at SiGMA Asia: Unlock the New Horizons
High-Performance Products and Interactive Demonstrations
The technological prowess of GR8 Tech’s diverse product suite will be on full display at SiGMA Asia. The attendees will be able to take a closer look at the comprehensive GR8 Sportsbook and Casino platform and vital standalone products like CRM, Sportsbook iFrame, Feed, Payment Gateway, etc., on demo screens at the stand. Each solution and product seamlessly adapts to address the specific needs of the Asian market, ensuring that all functionalities – from handling high betting volumes to integrating seamlessly with various payment systems – are tailored to enhance user experience and operator profitability.
Particularly, the provider’s flagship GR8 Sportsbook, known for its high stability and performance, offers a wide selection of content that caters to the diverse preferences of players across Asian countries. It also features unique margin management capabilities designed to maintain competitiveness and profitability in the region’s aggressively low-margin environment.
“GR8 Sportsbook is engineered to meet the specific needs of the Asian market, from its mobile-first design to its ability to handle high betting volumes without compromising user experience,” added Oleksandr Feshchenko, CRO at GR8 Tech. “We are proud to showcase how our platform can transform sports betting operations.”
Connect with GR8 Tech
To ensure a personalized experience, GR8 Tech invites interested parties to book a meeting with their team, taking advantage of an excellent opportunity to discuss how GR8 Tech’s solutions can elevate business success in the region.
The post From LatAm to Asia: Meet GR8 Tech at SiGMA Manila appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Wazdan, the gain-focused developer behind some of the world’s most rewarding casino gaming experiences, has entered the Filipino market after signing with SG8, a leading operator in the country.
A total of 46 Wazdan games will be made available to SG8 players and those across the Philippines for the very first time, including favourites 9 Burning Dragons, 9 Burning Stars™ and a host of the 9 Coins™ series such as 9 Coins™ Extremely Light, 9 Coins™ 1000 Edition and 9 Coins™ Grand Platinum Edition.
A renowned operator in the Philippines since 2006, SG8 is PAGCOR licensed and has quickly emerged as a player-favourite within Southeast Asia due to its diverse slot, live dealer and sportsbook offering, set to be enriched by Wazdan’s innovative iGaming content.
The Philippines marks the latest market entry for Wazdan, further establishing its presence across Asia following the landmark deal. More partnerships in the country are expected to be announced in due course.
Radka Bacheva, Head of Sales at Wazdan, said: “The Philippines boasts an incredible amount of iGaming potential and so we are delighted to enter the market with SG8, a leading player within the country.
“We’re bringing a range of our top-performing titles to its platforms and are eager to see how Filipino players react to our innovative mechanics. We are in no doubt this is the beginning of a flourishing collaboration.”
Heng Chin Sheng, CEO at SG8, said: “It’s an honour to welcome Wazdan to the Filipino market for the first time as part of this deal – we’ve seen the reception to its innovative slots across the world and are delighted to bring them to our players.”
“Leading titles such as 9 Burning Dragons and 9 Burning Stars™ are just a few of the 46 Wazdan titles that we are sure our players will embrace, and we look forward to seeing the results!”
The post Wazdan secures Philippines market entry with SG8 partnership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
EurAsia5 days agoEvoplay expands footprint in Georgia with Europebet partnership
-
Balkans5 days ago
SOFTSWISS Expands to Bulgaria: European Growth Through Partnership
-
Christine A. Dorchak5 days ago
Greyhound Advocates Applaud Gov. Ned Lamont for Signing Bill to Outlaw Dog Racing
-
Latest News4 days ago
NIFL Strikes Exclusive Data & Streaming Deal With FeedConstruct
-
Aposta Ganha4 days ago
Aposta Ganha strengthens LatAm sports betting market integrity with IBIA membership
-
Eastern Europe4 days ago
TotalBet Joins Forces with Fast Track to Boost Player Engagement
-
Latest News5 days ago
ELA Games Announces New Slot Game – Big Wave Delight
-
Compliance Updates4 days ago
ITIA Bans Two Players for Corruption Linked to Belgian Syndicate
