Crackdown against Gambling in China Continues

Currently, China has strict laws when it comes to gambling. To ensure that there are no illegal gambling businesses making a profit, the country’s government constantly monitors different markets, conducts investigations and in some cases even raids. Now, a new report reveals that the Ministry of Public Security has been busy in the last six months, cracking down on illegal gambling operations in rural areas.

As announced by ChinaDaily, the large-scale efforts against illegal gambling resulted in the confiscation of some 740 million yuan, or $104 million, over a period of only six months. The crackdown against gambling also saw some 10,000 criminal cases, as well as 75,000 administrative cases that are related to gambling activities, primarily taking place in rural areas.

It’s important to mention that the efforts against illegal gambling are ongoing as the government seeks to eliminate such operations and reduce the harm they bring. The latest figures come after a massive operation probing rural areas was launched by the Ministry back in November. The result of those efforts is a significant decrease of more than 23% in the reports related to illegal gambling, the Ministry’s official, Qi Xiguo, reveals.

Besides investigations and police operations within rural areas, the government seeks to curb illegal gambling activities by implementing monitoring policies. Overall, there are 101 monitoring stations within different counties and districts across the country, Xiguo confirmed.

The Government Continues the Fight against Gambling in Rural Areas

According to Xiguo, people who have been previously convicted of illegal gambling or are unemployed are more likely to be involved in such activities. According to him, such individuals represented approximately 60% of the cases observed, clearly underlining a trend.

Xiguo spoke about the widespread forms of illegal gambling in rural areas. He pointed out that there are some 100 forms of gambling within such jurisdictions, but at the same time, acknowledged that “online gambling has also become popular, as it is more widely available and is more attractive.”

“We will explore loopholes and weak links in rural governance, and improve the public security system.“

Qi Xiguo, official with the Ministry of Public Security

The Ministry’s official outlined that gambling activities in rural areas help attract other problems and crimes. Due to such illicit activities, gamblers may fall into huge debt or engage in criminal activities. Additionally, Xiguo explained that the gambling dens have established a structure that involved the monitoring, operation and collection of profits. Last but not least, Xiguo vowed that the crackdown on gambling will continue to ensure public safety.