Politics

China combats online gambling activity.

China intensifies its fight against overseas online gambling platforms, resulting in thousands of arrests. A detailed look at this ongoing battle.

SymClub
May 27, 2024
2 min read
Newsonlinecasinosgermany
On average, around 11 million Chinese people play online, many of them in Beijing.
On average, around 11 million Chinese people play online, many of them in Beijing.

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China combats online gambling activity.

Even with severe restrictions, numerous individuals in China engage in online gambling. In response, the Chinese government is intensifying its actions against international online gambling providers. Thousands of arrests have occurred and passports have been revoked. The government is not only going after employees and payment service providers who facilitate gambling-related money transfers, but also citizens who engage in online gambling. Flexible punishments will be imposed on those who acknowledge their wrongdoings.

Chinese Government Imposes Anti-Gambling Penalties

China has been cracking down on cross-border online gambling since 2020, imposing increasing penalties. The Ministry of Public Security recently revealed its efforts at a third anti-gambling event. According to these revelations, the Chinese police have found 17,000 cross-border gambling events, arrested over 110,000 suspects, and uncovered and shut down 3,400 gambling sites and 2,800 payment service providers.

Zhao Kezhi, State Councilor and Minister of Public Security, praised the efforts of the police and pledged to continue tough measures to maintain China's economic security, social stability, and national reputation. He also promised harsher penalties to suppress gambling-related violations.

In China, only the state lottery is legal. However, the online gambling ban creates significant issues for the expanding international industry. Even search engines like Google and prominent tech companies like Apple experienced crackdowns. In 2018, the government launched a wide-sweeping operation, causing Apple to remove 25,000 gambling apps from the China App Store. The authorities provided explicit labels such as gambling or lottery for thousands of apps.

Amnesty for Confessed Employees and Players

The Chinese government's determination to combat foreign online gambling providers is highlighted by its announcement of an amnesty for individuals who come forward and confess their violations of the gambling law by April 30, 2021. This amnesty allows illegal gamblers and employees of affected companies to avoid severe punishment. The decision was created in collaboration with the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, reflecting the government's ongoing efforts against online gambling.

The individuals covered by the amnesty can turn themselves in through various means: in person, through a third party, or via letter, email, or phone. Evidence aiding the pursuit of illegal online gambling can lead to lenient or no penalties. Those who fully cooperate with authorities may be exempt from any punishment for their valuable contributions, according to government sources.

Liao Jinrong, Director General of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Public Security, stated that this amnesty demonstrates the Chinese government's ongoing commitment to combating transnational gambling crimes. This amnesty offers a clear and unambiguous path for individuals involved in illegal gambling to leave criminal activity and acts as a deterrent for people who gamble on illegal platforms.

Project Against Gambling Trips

Since February, a trial program for players who frequently travel abroad to gamble large amounts has been implemented in three provinces, including Zhejiang. The goal is to restrict travel and financial transactions. Over 35,000 individuals have been identified and penalized through this project alone.

In the future, the ministry intends to intensify efforts to identify and punish online gamblers. They plan to employ new technologies to identify and track online gamblers. Authorities will severely punish those who spend substantial sums online and send them through educational programs. China also plans to increase pressure on other countries, like Cambodia and the Philippines, to prosecute illegal gambling platform operators.

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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com

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