The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has recorded a significant increase in lottery sales for the first nine months of 2024, with total sales reaching approximately RMB468.9 billion ($66.5 billion), reflecting a 9.4 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to data released by the Ministry of Finance (MOF).
These figures underscore the growing popularity of legal lotteries in China, which include the Welfare Lottery and the Sports Lottery, both of which operate under government regulation.
The Welfare Lottery contributed approximately RMB157.4 billion ($22.5 billion) to this total, marking an increase of about 8.9 percent from the previous year. Meanwhile, the Sports Lottery outperformed with sales of approximately RMB311.5 billion ($44 billion), representing a 9.7 percent increase compared to the corresponding period in 2023.
Lottery sales in mainland China reached RMB579.7 billion ($81.2 billion) in 2023, a considerable 36.5 percent year-on-year jump.
Lotteries in China are authorized and issued by the state, allowing players to purchase tickets voluntarily. The primary objective is to raise public welfare funds and support social community initiatives, with lottery tickets serving as proof of winning under specific regulations. Notably, lottery operators do not return the principal to players nor do they bear interest.
There are two main types of lottery tickets issued in China: the China Welfare Lottery, launched by the China Welfare Lottery Distribution Center in 1987, and the China Sports Lottery, introduced by the China Sports Lottery Administration Center in 1995.
Both the Welfare Lottery and the Sports Lottery encompass five primary product categories: traditional lotto games featuring daily or weekly draws, modern high-frequency games with multiple draws per hour (“Lotto”), sports betting, video lottery terminals (“VLT”), keno products, and instant scratch cards (“Scratch”).
China’s State Council holds the authority to authorize the issuance of both types of lottery, serving as the highest body to grant rights for lottery issuance, while the Ministry of Finance is tasked with administering, regulating, and supervising the national lottery industry.
https://agbrief.com/news/china/09/12/2024/chinese-lottery-sales-rise-9-y-o-y-in-jan-sept/