“Mark Six 50th Anniversary Exhibition” opens to kick off series of celebratory activities - “Connecting Dreams for a Better Future”

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) today (30 April) officially opened the “Mark Six 50th Anniversary Exhibition” at Tai Kwun in Central, kicking off a series of celebratory activities to commemorate half a century of the Mark Six lottery. Over the past 50 years, the Mark Six has brought hope to countless members of the community, while delivering significant contributions to Hong Kong society. These activities are also part of the Club’s Year of the Horse Campaign.

Mark Six 50th Anniversary Exhibition” opens to kick off series of celebratory activities - “Connecting Dreams for a Better Future”.

The opening ceremony of the ten day “Mark Six 50th Anniversary Exhibition”, held under the theme “Connecting Dreams for a Better Future”, was officiated by Chris Sun, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government, together with Winfried Engelbrecht Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club. The ceremony was also attended by representatives of beneficiary organisations and the Club’s Board of Management.

Mark Six 50th Anniversary Exhibition” opens to kick off series of celebratory activities - “Connecting Dreams for a Better Future”.

The exhibition showcases a collection of rare Mark Six artefacts, including some of the earliest lottery tickets and a retired drawing machine. Visitors can explore the lottery’s history and better understand its enduring mission of contributing to society over the past five decades.

The exhibition showcases a collection of rare Mark Six artefacts, including some of the earliest lottery tickets and a retired drawing machine.

At the opening ceremony, Chris Sun, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government, said that Mark Six has not only borne witness to Hong Kong’s growth and evolution, but its proceeds, channelled through the Lotteries Fund and lottery duty, have become a vital lifeline for social welfare. He thanked the Club for its significant contributions to long-term prosperity, stability and development of the city. He expressed his hope that Mark Six would continue to gather the community’s goodwill, so that every small act of generosity converges into a powerful force, driving the sustained development of welfare initiatives, keeping the spirit of compassion alive and helping to build a more caring and inclusive Hong Kong.

At the opening ceremony, Chris Sun, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government(left), said that Mark Six has not only borne witness to Hong Kong’s growth and evolution, but its proceeds, channelled through the Lotteries Fund and lottery duty, have become a vital lifeline for social welfare.

Winfried Engelbrecht Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, explained that the Club launched the Mark Six in 1976 to assist the Government in curbing rampant illegal street gambling known as “Che Fa”, and to channel the public demand for betting into a legal and regulated channel for the benefits of Hong Kong community.

Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht Bresges said: “Over the past 50 years, the Club has contributed more than HK$30 billion to the Lotteries Fund and HK$55 billion in lottery duty, supporting over 300 NGOs and more than 25,000 projects.”

Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht Bresges said: “Over the past 50 years, the Club has contributed more than HK$30 billion to the Lotteries Fund and HK$55 billion in lottery duty, supporting over 300 NGOs and more than 25,000 projects”

“In the past five years, the Lotteries Fund has focused its resources where they matter most – half of its funding, around HK$10 billion, goes to elderly services, nearly a third to rehabilitation, around HK$5.6 billion, and the rest to family and child welfare, social welfare and youth support, around HK$4 billion, totaling HK$19.5 billion. This means that the most vulnerable in our community – our seniors, those living with disabilities, families in need, and young people facing challenges – are directly benefiting from these projects.”

The exhibition showcases a collection of rare Mark Six artefacts, including some of the earliest lottery tickets and a retired drawing machine.

“Through Mark Six, those who need help the most are given not just care, but hope, dignity, and a better quality of life. All these projects were made possible through the unique integrated business model and values and purpose of the Club. Our values are centred on having the highest integrity, which has enabled us to channel gambling demand effectively and has built trust in the community. Combined with our purpose for the betterment of society, this model creates economic and social value in the form of tax and duty to the Government, employment, proceeds to the Lotteries Fund as well as charitable donations.”

“But even as I speak to you now, illegal gambling operators are targeting Hong Kong people – many of them youngsters – through social media. They are advertising illegal websites offering gambling on a huge variety of sports, as well as casino games and illegal lotteries. Clearly this is a problem that needs urgent action. We need to protect our community and we need to ensure that the Club can continue to support it through tax contributions and charities donations – and through the Mark Six.”

The exhibition showcases a collection of rare Mark Six artefacts, including some of the earliest lottery tickets and a retired drawing machine.

Since its launch in 1976, Mark Six has remained highly popular among the public. In particular, the introduction of Snowball draws in 1985, has attracted widespread anticipation and participation. In response to public demand, the number of Snowball draws has been increased over the years, with up to 12 now being held annually. The First Division Prize has also continued to reach new heights. The first Mark Six 50th Anniversary Snowball draw* will be held on Saturday, 2 May, 2026, with the First Division Prize Fund estimated at HK$228 million^, the highest in Mark Six history.

Please [click here] to visit the campaign website for details of the “Mark Six 50th Anniversary Exhibition”, including key milestones of the Mark Six, its profound societal significance, fascinating fun facts, and its remarkable 50-year journey with Hong Kong.

The exhibition showcases a collection of rare Mark Six artefacts, including some of the earliest lottery tickets and a retired drawing machine.

The Club’s Year of the Horse campaign is a year-long celebration of the close bond between horses and humans and the contribution racing makes to Hong Kong. It also promotes tourism as well as equine and sports development. Racing is not only the city’s favourite pastime, but also a symbol of its “can-do” spirit and stability under One Country, Two Systems. Through the success of Hong Kong horses on the international stage, the sport also brings pride to the community and global recognition to our city. None of this would be possible without the horse. For more information please visit https://hkjc.com/YOTH.

*Customers who bet must be aged 18 or above

^ Estimated First Division Prize Fund for a single HK$10 winning unit

The Hong Kong Jockey Club today (28 April) celebrated Hong Kong’s next generation of leaders and innovators at its Scholarships and Fellowships Award Presentation Ceremony and High Table Dinner. In total 110 scholarships and 10 STEM fellowships were presented and 45 graduating JC Scholars recognised. The annual event, which also saw the inauguration of five Endowed Professorships, underlined the Club’s long standing commitment to education and talent development.

Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao (front row, 5th right); Club Deputy Chairman Lester Huang (front row, 5th left); Club Stewards Nicolas Hunsworth (front row, 4th left), Dr Henry Chan (front row, 3rd right), Anita Fung(front row, 3rd left), Jackson Woo (front row,2nd right), Philip Lo (front row, 2nd left), Rimsky Yuen (front row, 1st right) and John Lo (1st left); Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (front row, 4th right); Club Executive Director, Sports Business, Casper Stylsvig (back row, 1st right);Club Executive Director, Charities and Community, Dr Gabriel Leung (back row, 3rd left);Club Executive Director, People and Organisational Development, Dr Lake Wang (backrow, 2nd left); Club Executive Director, Security, Integrity and Information Security,Moray Taylor-Smith (back row, 3rd right); Club Executive Director, Legal andCompliance, James Bidlake (back row, 2nd right); and Club Chief Transformation Officer,Serena Lin (back row, 1st left) attended the dinner to witness and share the joy of the awardees.

The ceremony was hosted by Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao, who was joined by keynote speaker Professor Anita Elberse, Lincoln Filene Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School. Witnessing the occasion were Club Stewards, the Club’s CEO and members of the Club’s management team, together with representatives of participating tertiary institutions. Also sharing the joy were family members and friends of award recipients.

Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao delivers a speech at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships and Fellowships Award Presentation Ceremony and High Table Dinner.

Speaking at the ceremony, Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao said that the Club well understands that people are Hong Kong’s most precious resource. That is why the Club has long invested in human capital and education, to propel the city’s economic development and sustain the prosperity of our nation.

Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao (front row, centre) with recipients of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Chairman’s Scholarship.

In her keynote speech, Professor Anita Elberse reflected on her research into the world’s most accomplished sports and entertainment organisations and emphasised that success is not left to chance, but built on placing people at the centre, setting the highest standards and learning continuously – even in times of success. She encouraged scholars, fellows and professors to pursue excellence with discipline, trust those they work with, and lead in ways that uplift others when it matters most.

Keynote speaker Professor Anita Elberse congratulates awardees at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships and Fellowships Award Presentation Ceremony and High Table Dinner.

Launched in 1998, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships were established to nurture compassionate, socially minded leaders for the betterment of society. Over the years, the programme has expanded to encompass vocational education, undergraduates from the Chinese Mainland and overseas studying in Hong Kong, and students who have overcome significant adversity. A new music and dance scholarship has also been introduced for young talent pursuing professional studies in music and dance at leading institutions outside Hong Kong. To date, over HK$1.25 billion1 has been approved, benefiting more than 1,200 outstanding young people.

Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao (front row, centre) with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Striding On Scholarship awardees.

Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (front row, centre) with graduating JC Scholars.

JC Scholars have continued to make meaningful contributions to society. Over the past year, Striding On Scholars won a number of medals in national and international para table-tennis competitions. Winnie Pang, recipient of a Striding On Scholarship this year, was born with congenital cerebral palsy affecting her right limbs. Despite the challenges, she has demonstrated remarkable discipline in balancing her studies with elite sports training. She represented HKSAR at the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities which took place in December last year, where she won one gold and two silver medals in table tennis.

Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao (centre) with JC Scholars Sunny Wong (2nd right), Winnie Pang (1st left), Samantha Yeung (1st right) and JC STEM Early Career Research Fellow Dr Jeff Lam (2nd left).

Striding On Scholars have achieved outstanding results at national and international para table-tennis competitions. Among them is Winnie Pang (left), who has also received cash awards under the Hong Kong Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme in recognition of her outstanding performance.

JC Scholar Sunny Wong (2nd left) and JC Scholar Winnie Pang (1st right) at a JC Scholar volunteer event.

To cultivate a strong pipeline of innovation and technology talent, the Club established the JC STEM Early Career Research Fellowship for Translation and Application in 2024. The Fellowship provides comprehensive support and unique opportunities for early-career researchers to advance research translation, expand professional networks and create social impact.

Deputy Chairman Lester Huang (front row, centre) with recipients of the JC STEM Early Career Research Fellowship for Translation and Application.

Dr Jeff Lam is one of this year’s JC STEM Early Career Research Fellows. After completing his PhD at the University of Cambridge, he chose to return to Hong Kong to research Alzheimer’s disease among the Chinese population. Though East Asians who carry APOE4, the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, face a higher risk of developing the disease, Asians, particularly Chinese population, are currently underrepresented in existing studies. He aspires to help fill this critical research gap by generating findings more relevant to Asian communities.

Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (centre) with JC Scholars Sunny Wong (3rd right), Winnie Pang (1st right), and Samantha Yeung (2nd right); JC STEM Early Career Research Fellow Dr Jeff Lam (1st left) and graduating JC Scholars Rex Cheuk (3rd left) and Natalie Mak (2nd left).

JC STEM Early Career Research Fellow Dr Jeff Lam conducts research at the JC STEM Lab of Neurobiology and Therapeutics of Alzheimer’s Disease.

The ceremony also marked the first induction of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Endowed Professorships, reflecting the Club’s holistic investment in higher education. The Endowed Professorships aim to advance research in areas of global health and sustainability, benefitting communities in Hong Kong and beyond.

Deputy Chairman Lester Huang (centre) with recipients of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Endowed Professorships.

The Club’s support for The Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships, Fellowships and Endowed Professorships, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.

Pictured with JC Scholars, JC STEM Early Career Research Fellows and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Endowed Professors are Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao (front row, 7thleft); keynote speaker Professor Anita Elberse, Lincoln Filene Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School (front row, 7th right); members of the Club’s Board of Stewards; Club management members and representatives of participating tertiary institutions.