Asia
LONGINES Hong Kong International Races prize money rises to £11.9 million
Prize money for the 2023 G1 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) will be worth an unprecedented £11.9 million (HK$118 million) as the December showpiece meeting continues to host the world’s richest Group 1 turf races over six furlongs (1200m), a mile (1600m) and a mile and a quarter (2000m).
The G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) – the jurisdiction’s richest race – receives a 5.9% increase to £3.63 million (HK$36 million), the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) is boosted by 8.3% to £2.62 million (HK$26 million), the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) grows by 6.7% to £3.22 million (HK$32 million) and the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m / 1m4f) advances 9.1% to £2.42 million (HK$24 million).
LONGINES Hong Kong International Races | Distance
(metres) |
2022/23
(HK$) |
2023/24 (HK$) |
Increase
(HK$) |
% Increase |
Hong Kong Sprint | 1200 | $24M | $26M | $2M | 8.3% |
Hong Kong Mile | 1600 | $30M | $32M | $2M | 6.7% |
Hong Kong Cup | 2000 | $34M | $36M | $2M | 5.9% |
Hong Kong Vase | 2400 | $22M | $24M | $2M | 9.1% |
Underlining their elite quality, three of last year’s G1 LONGINES HKIR features – the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup and the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint – figured in the LONGINES World’s Top 100 G1 Races in 2022.
With the glittering LONGINES HKIR meeting highlighting Hong Kong’s stunning prize money growth, each of the city’s 12 Group 1 races will rise by a minimum of HK$1 million (£100,000) – a combined HK$20 million boost (£2 million) – as part of an overall prize money increase of 10%.
The enhancements cap Hong Kong’s record prize money and incentive structure of an estimated HK$1.73 billion (£174.5 million) across the 2023/24 season.
In addition to the lucrative purses on offer at LONGINES HKIR, Hong Kong will also stage the richest Group 1 turf race over 1400m with the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) to carry HK$13 million (£1.31 million) in prize money, while the Club has also lifted Group 2 and Group 3 races to HK$5.35 million (£540,000) and HK$4.2 million (£423,000) – hikes of 7.0% and 7.7%, respectively.
Charlie Appleby has entered four in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m), the final G1 of the Hong Kong season on Sunday 28 May at Sha Tin Racecourse. Global Storm, Rebel’s Romance, Siskany and Yibir could line up in the £1.2 million (HK$12 million) contest over a mile and a half (2400m).
Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “The LONGINES Hong Kong International Races continue to be widely recognised as the ‘Turf World Championships’ and the HK$118 million total prize money on offer next season also underscores the Club’s commitment to attracting and rewarding the world’s best horses and their connections.
“With growing competition around the world, it is crucial that Hong Kong’s two international race days – LONGINES Hong Kong International Races and FWD Champions Day – continue to be destinations of choice for owners, trainers and jockeys from around the world.
“As we saw in December with the successful staging of 2022 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races and again with the latest wonderful FWD Champions Day meeting, these prestigious international meetings allow us to showcase Hong Kong’s world-class racing on the global stage.”
Including substantial increases to the PP and PPG bonus scheme, Hong Kong’s domestic racing prize money pool will rise by 8% alone next season – with an additional HK$94 million (£9.48 million) on offer – to HK$1.38 billion (£139 million).
“Before the 2022/23 season, we undertook a thorough review of our prize money and incentive structure and decided then to commit to continuous investments into the future, which has resulted once more in the significant prize money and additional incentives outlined over the past two weeks,” said Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing, The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
“Providing attractive incentives and increasing returns on investments for our Owners are central to these enhancements and we believe that these increases will provide additional support proportionate to their investments.”
As a result of these substantial prize money boosts for 2023/24, the Club has also approved an extension of the closing date for the 2023 Horse Ballot until 5pm Thursday, 11 May.
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Asia
New Indian Law Aims to Curb Online Money Gambling Sector, Prohibits Related Advertising

Following the passage of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 on August 21, the government of India imposes a complete ban on online money games, alongside the advertisements related to the sector.
Passed by the parliament, any financial transactions related to these platforms would be considered unlawful as stated under the Information Technology Act of 2000. The legislation also aims to establish a national-level regulatory authority that will govern the categorising and registration of online games.
The said authority shall issue guidelines, codes of practice and directions for compliance, with strict punishments induced, leading to imprisonment for up to three years, and a fine to one crore rupees or 114,017 USD.
The advertisement of the said games is also punishable with similar penalties, with imprisonment up to two years and a fine of up to fifty lakh rupees 1140 USD.
While the law prohibited online money gaming such poker, rummy and fantasy sports that offer cash rewards, e-sports are considered and recognised as a legitimate competitive sport in India, and is not included in the total ban, as well as online social games or casual games that are recreational in nature.
This draws that the bill-turned-law, used a “balanced approach” since recognising that the online gaming sector is one of the most dynamic segments in the digital and creative economy, hence, still allowing esports and online social games.
This came after the report of over 45 crore or 45,000,000 people were reportedly affected by online money games and have lost more than Rs. 20,000 crores or 2,280.414 USD, according to Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology.
According to the same ministry, the total ban was driven by the following reasons:
• Addiction and Financial Ruin
• Mental Health and Suicide
• Fraud and Money Laundering
• Threat to National Security
• Closing Legal Loopholes
• Encouraging Healthy Alternatives
Meanwhile, the bill also stated that while the online gaming authority governs the registration of online games, the central government still has the authority to frame the rules for the promotion and advertisement of e-sports, online social games and other rules related under the law.
In total, the legislation aims to safeguard vulnerable populations, particularly the middle class and youth by introducing these strict regulations and a greater emphasis on brand responsibility and ethical advertising.
The post New Indian Law Aims to Curb Online Money Gambling Sector, Prohibits Related Advertising appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Macao Casino Sector Salaries Hit a 10-year High

Salaries in Macao’s gambling industry have climbed to their highest level in a decade, with average earnings for full-time employees increasing 2.4% year-on-year to 27,390 patacas, according to the second quarter survey on manpower needs and wages by the Statistics and Census Service (known by its Portuguese initials DSEC).
Average monthly earnings for resident full-time casino employees were slightly lower – 27,340 patacas per month – but also rose by 2.4%. Since 2023, the average pay for non-resident workers has exceeded that of residents, with non-resident managers now earning an average of 90,000 patacas a month.
DSEC attributed the quarter’s rises “mainly to increases in salaries.”
The number of full-time workers in the gambling sector edged up by 380 over the past year, reaching 52,898 at the end of the second quarter. Most were local directors and managers.
The sector reported 208 job vacancies at the end of June, with clerical roles accounting for more than half. Just under half of the roles required work experience, while 74.1% required only senior secondary education or lower.
Demand for manpower has “gradually stabilised,” DSEC noted, as both the employee turnover rate (1.6%) and recruitment rate (1.1%) dropped year-on-year.
The survey does not cover junket promoters or their associates.
The post Macao Casino Sector Salaries Hit a 10-year High appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
ED Arrests Karnataka MLA Veerendra “Puppy” in Illegal Betting Case

The Indian Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into Karnataka Congress MLA K.C. Veerendra, also known as “Puppy,” over alleged involvement in a large-scale money laundering and illegal betting operation. The legislator, arrested in Sikkim on Saturday, August 23, was brought to Bengaluru on Sunday for further questioning in connection with financial transactions tied to casinos in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Georgia.
Veerendra was apprehended in Gangtok, where he had reportedly been pursuing a deal to lease land for a casino venture. After his arrest, he was produced before a special court in Bengaluru, which granted ED custody until August 28. To prevent any incidents during his transfer, strict security was enforced at Kempegowda International Airport, and he was quickly escorted to an undisclosed location for interrogation.
Authorities confirmed that multi-state raids preceded the arrest, covering 31 locations across India, including Bengaluru, Hubballi, Chitradurga, Goa, Jodhpur, Mumbai and Sikkim. Five casinos in Goa—Puppy’s Casino Gold, Ocean Rivers Casino, Puppy’s Casino Pride, Ocean 7 Casino, and Big Daddy Casino—were also raided as part of the ongoing probe.
According to ED sources, preliminary findings suggest that Veerendra maintained financial links with casinos and shell companies operating in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Georgia. Evidence gathered during the raids points to overseas transactions and the use of foreign entities to launder large sums of money, some of which may have originated from cyber fraud. Officials suspect that these funds were “converted into white money” by being disguised as credit card transactions.
Documents recovered from multiple properties also revealed that Veerendra was in the process of finalising a deal to acquire a casino from Santiago Martin, a businessman widely recognised as the “lottery king” of Tamil Nadu. Martin is already under investigation by the ED in a separate money laundering case and is known for his financial ties to political figures.
Incriminating evidence seized from Veerendra’s residences, including Rs 12 crore in cash and a significant quantity of jewelry, is now being analysed. The ED has also uncovered records suggesting that his brother, K.C. Thippeswamy, managed three Dubai-based entities—Diamond Softech, TRS Technologies and Prime9Technologies—believed to be connected to their gaming and call centre businesses.
The post ED Arrests Karnataka MLA Veerendra “Puppy” in Illegal Betting Case appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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