The Chinese mainland could see the first official bet placed on a horse race since 1949 as early as next year.
The central government has approved regular horse racing in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, and is mulling over the introduction of gambling on the races in 2009, Xinhua reported yesterday.
The races will be held at the Orient Lucky City racecourse in September, it said, quoting a senior manager of Orient Lucky Horse Group Cooperation who do not want to be named.
The announcement is being seen as the beginning of gambling on horse racing on the Chinese mainland.
（英语点津 Celene 编辑）
About the broadcaster:
Brendan is an Australian who has been involved in education and writing for over a decade. He has published most recently for the Tiger Airways Inflight magazine, The Bangkok Post, The Taipei Times and Japan's Hiroshima Outside Magazine. He holds a Masters Degree in Community Development and Management and has resided in China for over 3 years.
