Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges told the Asian Racing Conference that the "movement of illegal and unregulated gambling operators from a domestic to a global footing represents the greatest of a widening range of threats to horse racing," according to Alan Aitken of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. He also said that the estimated illegal betting on Hong Kong racing was about $12.8B, "nearly matching" its turnover last year of $13.8B, and that the "major hub for illegal betting was the Philippines." His speech "mapping the new wagering landscape" listed "consolidation of the global illegal market" and exploiting new technology on the Internet as “a threat for not just the turnover but the integrity of racing and sports” at the head of the dangers. Engelbrecht-Bresges said, "Some will say that illegal and unregulated gambling has always been around, why is it now more of a threat? ... Illegal gambling has always been a threat to the integrity of sport or racing and you see now every day the threats to cricket, football and tennis. These operators are now exploiting technology to consolidate globally" (SCMP, 1/26).
