SIS Strikes Deal with Hong Kong Jockey Club

Satellite Information Services (SIS) will be the new provider of English and Scottish League football statistics to the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) under a new deal announced this week. SIS holds the exclusive distribution rights on this and is partially owned by UK bookmaker Ladbrokes.
Hong Kong Institution
In a press release, SIS Sports Data Director Jack Davidson said, “”We’re delighted to be working with the Hong Kong Jockey Club which is one of the oldest and most respected racing, sports and betting institutions in the world.”
The HKJC has been a gambling institution on the city state island since 1884 and offers up both fixed odds sports betting and traditional horse race betting. Betting with the HKJC can be done by phone and online.
Though Hong Kong has a population of just 7 million people, the Jockey Club took in around $5 billion (USD) in pre-tax earnings last year. It’s one of the largest businesses on the island and contributes millions of dollars every year to various Hong Kong charities.
Toehold in the Pacific

For SIS, and Ladbrokes, landing this deal gives them a great toe hold in the largely untapped Asian Pacific igaming market. Residents of this part of the world are voracious gamers but, thanks to linguistic and cultural barriers, the online gaming market has remained mostly out of reach to major gaming companies.
Because the HKJC has a monopoly on legal betting on the island, any company dealing with them has a major advantage in cracking this elusive market. It should be noted that while Hong Kong is technically part of China, its residents are not subject to the same rigorous anti-gaming laws as residents of mainland China. Gambling of any kind is strictly forbidden on the mainland. It is, however, perfectly legal for residents of both Hong Kong and Macau.
Do you think that the HKJC deal gives Ladbrokes an edge on the Asian-Pacific gaming market? Let us know on our General Discussion Forum.