SINGAPORE — For Mr Leonard Tan, 27, horse racing at the Singapore Turf Club is the only betting activity that he avoids, as he believes that the sport is the domain of the older generation.
The move comes as average attendance per race day plummeted from around 11,000 in 2010 to 2,600 in 2022 — a trend seen not just in Singapore but also globally.
Agreeing, Dr Kevin Cheong, an adjunct lecturer at the University of Newcastle in Australia, said that he believes the association of horse racing with the"older folks" could be a factor inhibiting the sport's popularity among youth. A punter who wished to be known only as Mr Wilson agreed that the time needed to understand the sport was a hindrance even though he had initially been interested in horse racing.
In response to TODAY's question at a press conference on Monday, Singapore Turf Club chairman Niam Chiang Meng said that the emergence of other gambling options in Singapore meant that horse racing's popularity would inevitably slide. “The crowds were amazing, it really gets your adrenaline pumping,” he said. “I think it’s a very special trade.”
Rather, the club would look to"reimagine" how the facility could be used so that some of the site could be"redeveloped into an integrated and extraordinary leisure destination with unique offerings and attractions,” said the Tote Board then.
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