The Jockey Club has dropped a plan for a family day next month similar to the National Day carnival that allowed children into Sha Tin racecourse, in an apparent backdown in the face of criticism.
The decision was welcomed by the Home Affairs Bureau and anti-gambling groups.
The Legislative Council's panel on home affairs, which decided yesterday to invite the Jockey Club and the government to discuss the planned event, will now drop the topic from its agenda.
The National Day carnival, which attracted 48,000 adults and more than 7,000 children, drew criticism from anti-gambling groups, which argued it would encourage gambling among children.
Jockey Club executive director of racing Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said then that the club planned to repeat the event, possibly on December 26.
But a spokesman for the Jockey Club yesterday said it did not have any plan to organise a family day next month, though he insisted it was a very popular event.
