Mark Six marks 50th anniversary with exhibition and record $228m draw

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has launched a series of celebrations to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Mark Six lottery, an institution that has evolved from a tool to curb illegal gambling into a cornerstone of the city's social welfare funding. The festivities kicked off with the opening of a public exhibition and the announcement of a historic HK$228 million snowball draw.

A journey through time at Tai Kwun

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) unveiled the "Mark Six 50th Anniversary Exhibition" at the Tai Kwun heritage compound in Central. The ten-day event, themed "Connecting Dreams for a Better Future," was opened by HKSAR Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han and HKJC Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.

The exhibition provides a journey through the lottery's history, showcasing rare artifacts like early lottery tickets and a retired drawing machine, offering visitors insight into its five-decade mission of contributing to Hong Kong society.

A legacy of community support

During the opening ceremony, Sun acknowledged that the Mark Six has not only witnessed Hong Kong's evolution but has also become a vital lifeline for social welfare through its contributions to the Lotteries Fund and lottery duty.

He praised the HKJC's role in the city's long-term stability and expressed his hope that the lottery would continue to channel the community's goodwill into a powerful force for social good.

Engelbrecht-Bresges recounted the origins of the Mark Six, explaining that the Club launched it in 1976 to help the government combat rampant illegal street gambling and provide a legal, regulated channel for public betting that would benefit the community.

He highlighted the immense financial impact over the past 50 years, noting that the club has contributed over HK$30 billion to the Lotteries Fund and HK$55 billion in lottery duty. These funds have supported more than 300 non-governmental organizations and over 25,000 individual projects.

Funding the city's most vulnerable

The HKJC CEO detailed how in the last five years alone, the Lotteries Fund has strategically allocated HK$19.5 billion to critical areas. Approximately half, around HK$10 billion, was directed to elderly services, with nearly HK$5.6 billion going to rehabilitation services and the remaining HK$4 billion supporting family, child, and youth welfare.

He stressed that these funds directly provide care, dignity, and a better quality of life for the city's most vulnerable residents.

Despite these successes, Engelbrecht-Bresges issued a stark warning about the persistent threat of modern illegal gambling operators. He pointed out that these entities are aggressively targeting Hong Kong residents, including young people, through social media with a vast array of unregulated betting options.

He called for urgent action to protect the community and ensure that the official, charitable channels like the Mark Six can continue to fund essential services.

A record-breaking anniversary draw

To celebrate the milestone, a special Mark Six 50th Anniversary Snowball draw will be held on Saturday, May 2. The First Division Prize Fund is estimated to reach an unprecedented HK$228 million, the highest in the lottery's history.

 

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓