Asia
Hong Kong’s record prize money increase includes Group races
£136.2 million up for grabs in 2021/22 season, with £9.3 million in the four Group 1s on LONGINES Hong Kong International Raceday
Hong Kong racing will offer record prize money of HK$1.46 billion (£136.2 million) for the 2021/22 season with the four G1 features on LONGINES Hong Kong International Raceday offering a combined new high of HK$100 million (£9.3 million).
By elevating the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup’s prize money to HK$30 million (£2.8 million), the Hong Kong Jockey Club will stage the world’s richest Group 1 races over 1200m, 1400m, 1600m and 2000m on turf.
The LONGINES Hong Kong Mile and the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint, which are already the most valuable Group 1 races over 1600m and 1200m on turf, will rise to HK$26 million (£2.4 million) and HK$24 million (£2.2 million) respectively.
The Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) is also the most endowed seven-furlong contest in the world on turf at HK$12 million (£1.1 million).
Hong Kong will also stage the world’s second most-valuable 1200m Group 1 on turf in 2021/22, with the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, run on FWD Champions Day, worth HK$20 million (£1.9 million).
In addition, there will be generous increases across the whole prize money structure, with prize money for Group 2 races and Group 3 races boosted by HK$250,000 (£23,000) and HK$200,000 (£19,000) respectively. Races in Classes 1 to 5 will also see prize money increased by between 4% and 9%, demonstrating the Club’s commitment to fostering talent and incentivising strong owner investment at all levels.
The upward adjustments, announced today, Friday 16 July, re-establishes the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup as the most lucrative Group 1 2000m event on turf in the world and consolidates its position as a principal target for the world’s best middle-distance horses.
Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association President Mr. Matthew Lam said: “The Hong Kong Jockey Club has been doing great in keeping ‘racing goes on’ amid the COVID-19 challenges since last year when so many other sporting events were impacted. It is great to see the further increase of prize money in nearly all races, which offer good incentives to Hong Kong Owners to continue to import high class horses and support the world class racing standard in Hong Kong.”
Mr. Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing, at the Hong Kong Jockey Club said: “Key to Hong Kong’s world-class racing is the Club’s significant investment in prize money. Despite the issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty in world economies, we are committed to continuing our strategy of strong increases in purse levels to reward and encourage our owners and to ensure Hong Kong’s elite races are attractive to overseas competitors. This approach has been a core element in Hong Kong being able to maintain its position as a world leader in providing quality horseracing and has enabled us to achieve between 17 and 26 horses in the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for each of the past eight years.
“For next season, the Club has increased prize money to a record overall sum, including a significant injection across all Class 1 to Class 5 handicap races and Group 2 and Group 3 contests. We believe this will help to enhance competition and assist our owners in their attempts to purchase and import the best possible horses in a difficult economic climate.”
Mr. Harding noted the importance of Hong Kong’s elite races, especially the flagship LONGINES Hong Kong International Raceday.
“The LONGINES Hong Kong International Races will offer a record total of HK$100 million (£9.3 million) across the four Group 1 races held on the day, which underlines the Club’s commitment to attracting and rewarding the world’s best,” he said.
“That commitment is evident in the prize money increases for the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, Hong Kong Sprint and Hong Kong Mile.”
Max Level will work closely with Riot’s India and South Asia teams to amplify brand campaigns, regional esports initiatives, product updates, and community-first storytelling in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and other South Asian markets. The collaboration aims to build authentic, culturally resonant narratives that reflect Riot’s mission as a player-focused organisation.
The win follows a competitive multi-agency pitch process that saw Max Level selected from among several top PR agencies. The decision was based on Max Level’s deep understanding of the gaming and esports audience, its creative-first approach, and its proven ability to drive conversation and cultural relevance.
Siddharth Nayyar, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Max Level, said, “Winning the PR mandate for Riot Games is a defining moment for us. Riot has not only shaped the modern multiplayer era but also built global communities around player-first values. We’re thrilled to help expand that legacy in India and South Asia, a region that’s growing and evolving at a breakneck pace.”
Max Level’s mandate includes ongoing campaign support for key products and IPs, regional amplification of Riot’s global esports events, as well as strategic counsel on community engagement and creator collaborations. The agency’s track record with brands like NODWIN Gaming, SuperGaming, CyberPowerPC India, KRAFTON, ESL FACEIT Group among others makes it uniquely positioned to drive culturally relevant PR in gaming and esports.
According to the Lumikai State of India Gaming Report 2024, India’s gaming market reached $3.1 billion in FY23, with projections to hit $7.5 billion by FY28, fueled by a base of over 568 million gamers, nearly half of whom are paying users. The report also highlights how India is now the largest consumer of mobile games globally, creating an immense opportunity for publishers like Riot to scale their reach and community.
The post Max Level Wins PR Mandate for Riot Games in India and South Asia appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The next highly anticipated gaming event on EGT Digital’s calendar is SiGMA Asia, which will be held on June 3rd and 4th in Manila. Together with EGT, the iGaming provider will welcome visitors at booth 1113 to reveal its impressive selection of innovations and bestsellers.
The guests will be able to try out EGT Digital’s wide range of over 140 casino games spanning a variety of themes, as well as further increase their chances of winning with the Bell Link, Clover Chance, High Cash, and Single Progressive jackpots. The 4-level multi-denomination Gods & Kings Link will be presented for the first time locally. It received positive feedback after its recent official debut and is expected to get a warm acceptance also from Asian operators and players. Currently including 3 games: Ape of Luck, Glorious Alexander, and Rise of Ra, with more to join in the coming months, it will offer the show attendees numerous bonuses and a lot of fun.
EGT Digital will also demonstrate X-Nave, its in-house developed “all-in-one” betting platform, providing all the tools and features needed for building and maintaining a successful online business or for improving current performance. X-Nave includes 4 main modules: Sport Product, Gaming Aggregator, CRM Engine, and Payment Gateway. Depending on the operators’ needs, each of them can be used as part of the complete solution or independently, as they can integrate with developments from third-party providers.
“EGT Digital’s products have enormous potential for the local markets, and SIGMA Asia provides us with a great opportunity to showcase them to many potential future clients in the region,” said Mariana Manchina, Director of EGT Philippines. “In addition, we are also looking forward to the prestigious SiGMA Asia Awards, where our company is shortlisted in the Best Sportsbook Provider 2025 and Best Platform 2025 categories.”
The post EGT Digital’s innovative developments to captivate visitors at SiGMA Asia 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
EGT is pleased to announce that it will participate in this year’s edition of SiGMA Asia, which will take place on 03 and 04 June in Manila. “We have prepared a fascinating selection of products developed specifically for the Asian markets, so don’t miss the chance to stop by our booth 1113 and learn more about it!,” said Mariana Manchina, Director of EGT Philippines.
Among the main highlights will be the 4-level progressive Zhao Cai Shuang Yu jackpot, which will be presented to the local gaming audience for the first time. Housed in the popular slot cabinet G 50 J1 Up, it will dive visitors into the world of its 2 games Prosperity Strike and Rising Coins, enabling them to collect special symbols and win at any bet level, with higher stakes increasing the likelihood of hitting the highest Grand level.
Sheng Sheng Bu Xi and Cai Fu Tian Jiang, which have already been successfully installed in various gaming venues across different countries, will also be on display. They will invite the guests to embark on captivating adventures that will reward them with riches and lots of fun. Numerous attractive bonus features will add even more thrill to the game, providing additional winning opportunities.
The top-performing G 50 C Up and G 50 J2 Up cabinets and the vast diversity of the General Series multigames will complement EGT’s slot display.
The company will present its ETG developments as well. The attendees will be able to try out the GS 32 T and S 32 T terminals, which feature frameless displays for crystal-clear visuals, numerous ergonomic functionalities, and enormous flexibility, allowing them to participate in endless configurations. The G RSA, EGT’s compact Standalone Automatic Roulette center, will also demonstrate its seamless connectivity to all the company’s play stations. The option to add an American roulette wheel further enriches the gaming choice and guarantees an engaging player experience.
EGT Digital will also showcase its extensive portfolio of iGaming solutions, featuring instant and casino games, jackpot products, as well as the in-house developed “all-in-one” betting platform X-Nave, which comprises four main modules. All this provides operators with a complete solution for building and maintaining a successful online business.
Ms. Manchina concluded: “SIGMA Asia is one of the most important gaming events in the region and I am glad that we will take part in it once again. Our participation in the previous 2 editions was very fruitful, having brought us many valuable new contacts and the opportunity to present our high-potential products to the key players in the local markets. I believe that our performance in 2025 will be the same, and it may even be better. This year, we are even more excited because EGT is a finalist in the SiGMA Asia Awards, where we will compete for the accolade in the Best Land-based Game Feature category.”
The post EGT’s Asian-themed products to make a splash at SiGMA Asia 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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