Hong Kong authorities are mulling a change in the city’s stance on who can attend horse races, in an effort to increase the sport’s appeal, according to local newspaper the Standard. The news comes after Chief Executive John Lee spoke of further developing “horse racing tourism” in a policy address delivered last week, now that the sport has been scrapped in competing regional destinations like Singapore and Macao.
Yesterday, secretary for culture, sports and tourism Kevin Yeung announced that a reduction in the current age limit was on the table. If the proposal, which is currently being discussed with the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), goes ahead, under-18s would be allowed to visit the city’s racecourse.
The HKJC says expanding the age-range for racing spectators would make the sport more inclusive, allowing owners, members and their guests to bring children and teens along to fixtures “on a limited basis.” This should make it more popular with tourists as well as local families, boosting numbers.
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“We will fully support and commence discussions with the relevant government departments to take horse racing tourism forward,” the HKJC said. The club also noted that it maintained strict underage access controls across all its betting channels.
Yeung said the potential rule shift was motivated by the need to fully capitalise on the unique aspects of Hong Kong horse racing. He pointed out that the SAR hosts many top international horse races annually, attracting a global audience of industry players and punters.
In the horse racing world, Hong Kong is unusual in its decision to impose an age limit on who can watch races. Race tracks in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Japan tend to welcome children – though they need to be accompanied by an adult and may be barred from certain areas of the track.
