Mark Six lottery still postponed due to the third wave of outbreaks

Content Team July 14, 2020

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Mark Six lottery still postponed due to the third wave of outbreaks

This outbreak has lead to the suspension of Mark Six lottery, held in Hong Kong since 1975, losing more than 2.7 billion bets

Hong Kong was once recognised by CNN and other international media as a model student in the fight against the epidemic. After the first wave and the second wave of overseas migration into the epidemic, it has entered the third wave of outbreaks in recent days.

However, in just one week, Hong Kong added more than 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19. On the 13th, 52 new cases were added, of which 41 were local cases, including 20 cases of unknown origin.

And this outbreak has lead to the suspension of the oldest lottery game in Hong Kong. Mark Six is a lottery game organised by the Hong Kong Jockey club (left). Hong Kong has held the Mark Six Lottery since 1975, becoming the longest run lottery in China. It is also one of the few gambling legally permitted by the Hong Kong government.

However, Mark Six is illegal in mainland China. Hong Kong’s government stipulates that people under the age of 18 are not allowed to place bets. Non-Hong Kong residents can also bet on Mark Six in Hong Kong, but not overseas.

Since Mark Six was suspended in February, it has been closed for five and a half months. With three draws per week, it has lost more than 2.7 billion bets, and 25% of them paid betting taxes, which is 680 million fewer government taxes.

Since the easing of the epidemic, the Jockey Club also gradually resumed various services, including the reopening of betting stations and the opening of the racecourse. The reopening of the Mark Six lottery was announced on 3rd of this month.

Unexpectedly, two days later, the epidemic went down sharply, and the number of infections increased significantly. As the government restarted the eight-person limit, the Jockey Club also cooperated with the tightening of anti-epidemic arrangements and stopped the lottery that was originally scheduled to resume on Tuesday.