Chinas declining lottery revenue persisted for the sixth consecutive month, with November exhibiting no indication of recovery.
Sales figures plummeted by 10.2% compared to the corresponding period last year, totaling 30.6 billion yuan (roughly 4.6 billion USD), as per information disclosed by the Finance Ministry.
Local news outlets suggest that welfare lottery purchases diminished by 6.6%, while sports lottery purchases witnessed a sharper fall of 14.4%.
This slump in the Chinese lottery sector is attributed to elements such as the halt of internet-based lottery purchases and the broader deceleration of national economic expansion.
Further complicating matters, Chinese officials recently suppressed a substantial international lottery scheme, as documented by China Daily.
In a collaborative effort targeting illicit online lottery websites, Chinese and Laotian law enforcement apprehended 470 individuals. This criminal syndicate is suspected of defrauding over 1,000 victims, accumulating an estimated 200 million yuan (approximately 32 million USD).
The operation effectively dismantled three criminal lairs in Laos, confiscating over 500 mobile devices, 400 computers, and four automobiles.
To manage the substantial number of detainees, primarily originating from Fujian province, the Public Security Ministry commissioned four aircraft to extradite 300 individuals back to Fujian for legal proceedings. The remaining 170 suspects will be handled by authorities in Xishuangbanna.
This triumphant operation underscores the persistent endeavors by Chinese authorities to combat lottery-related fraud. The Public Security Ministry disclosed that they have suppressed 16,708 comparable cases, detaining 5,825 individuals and dismantling 927 criminal organizations.
admin