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Sovereign state
Asia
ISO CN

China: gambling regulation and licensing

People's Republic of China

  • Online sports bettingProhibited
  • Online casinoProhibited
  • Online pokerProhibited
  • Lottery and iLotteryMonopoly
  • Land-based (reference)Prohibited
Regulator
Ministry of Finance
Headline tax
See Taxation
Licence required
No
Last verified
21 Oct 2026

Summary

Mainland China does not license commercial gambling: it prohibits it and enforces the ban through the criminal law. Article 303 of the Criminal Law punishes gambling for profit with up to three years’ imprisonment and opening a casino with up to five years, or five to ten in serious cases. Since Amendment XI took effect on 1 March 2021 the same penalties apply to organising Chinese citizens to gamble abroad, and a 2005 judicial interpretation treats running a gambling website, or acting as its agent and accepting bets, as opening a casino. Players who gamble with relatively large stakes face up to five days’ detention or a fine of up to CNY 1,000 under the Public Security Administration Punishments Law, revised with effect from 1 January 2026. The only lawful product is lottery, issued by the state welfare and sports lotteries under the Lottery Administration Regulations of 2009. The Ministry of Finance supervises the market and approves every game; the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the General Administration of Sport oversee the two issuers. Lottery sold over the internet without Ministry of Finance approval is illegal lottery. Sales were CNY 627.97 billion in 2025, 44.2% of it from sports quiz games, the only lawful form of sports betting, and rose 13.0% to CNY 478.43 billion in January to August 2026 as the World Cup lifted sports lottery sales. Lotteries raised CNY 162.11 billion for public welfare in 2025, and winnings above CNY 10,000 are taxed at 20%. Enforcement is aimed at cross-border supply: the Ministry of Public Security reported 73,000 cross-border gambling cases and more than 4,500 online platforms taken down in 2024.

Common pitfalls

Macau and Hong Kong are separate jurisdictions with their own records on this map; statements about mainland law do not apply to them. The sports lottery’s quiz games are lawful sports betting, but only through the state issuer, and internet sale of lottery needs Ministry of Finance approval: a website or app selling Chinese lottery without it is illegal lottery. Organising Chinese customers from abroad is not a safe harbour: it is an offence under Article 303 since 2021, and agents and payment providers are prosecuted as accomplices.

Key facts

Regulator
Ministry of Finance (MOF)
Regulator type
Government ministry
Headline tax
See Taxation
Licence required
No
Minimum age
18+
Tax base
There is no gaming tax because there is no licensed gambling. The state takes its share of lottery sales through the public welfare fund, a percentage of sales fixed in each approved game’s rules: for most games 34% to 37% in lotto and numbers games, 21% in sports quiz games, 20% in instant games, 30% in keno and 21% in video games (Ministry of Finance Announcement No. 24 of 2026). In 2025 lotteries raised CNY 162.11 billion of public welfare funds, including CNY 2.02 billion of unclaimed prizes.
Capital
Beijing
Currency
CNY
Official languages
Mandarin Chinese

How to get a gambling licence in China

Online casino and online sports betting are prohibited in China, so no licence currently permits offering them. The licensing regime as recorded is set out below.

Our record shows no gambling licence requirement in China.

The regulator is the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

Applications
Closed at present

Built from the record on this page, last verified 21 Oct 2026. The Licensing and Taxation sections carry the full detail and sources.

Licensing

Licence required
No
Application window
Closed
Local establishment required
Not yet verified
Local server required
Not yet verified
Certification requirements
Issuers may commission specialist testing bodies before launching a game or making major technical changes (Implementing Rules, art. 12). Lottery equipment and technical services, including terminals, draw equipment, sales systems, printing, marketing and advertising, are bought by the issuers under government procurement law, mainly by open tender (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 13; Implementing Rules, arts. 19 and 20).
Barriers to entry
There is no gambling licence to apply for: commercial gambling is a crime (Criminal Law art. 303) and only the two state lotteries may be issued (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 3). Private businesses can take part only as retail agents under contract with an issuer (art. 15), as internet partners or agents where the Ministry of Finance has approved internet sales (Interim Measures of 2010, arts. 4 and 6), or as suppliers of equipment and services through government procurement (art. 13).

Taxation

Headline GGR tax
Not yet verified
Effective date
1 Sept 2024
Player winnings tax
Lottery winnings are incidental income taxed at 20%. A single win of CNY 10,000 or less is exempt; above that the whole win is taxed (Announcement No. 12 of 2024; Xinhua explanation of the four departments’ announcement).
Withholding mechanism
Lottery issuers and sellers withhold individual income tax on wins above CNY 10,000, file exemption returns for computer lottery wins between CNY 3,000 and 10,000, and report claim data to the tax authority each quarter (Announcement No. 12 of 2024, arts. 4 and 5).
Tax base
There is no gaming tax because there is no licensed gambling. The state takes its share of lottery sales through the public welfare fund, a percentage of sales fixed in each approved game’s rules: for most games 34% to 37% in lotto and numbers games, 21% in sports quiz games, 20% in instant games, 30% in keno and 21% in video games (Ministry of Finance Announcement No. 24 of 2026). In 2025 lotteries raised CNY 162.11 billion of public welfare funds, including CNY 2.02 billion of unclaimed prizes.

Earmarked levies

  • Lottery public welfare fund: Set by game: Double Colour Ball and Super Lotto 36% of sales (prizes 51%, issuance fees 13%); most quiz games 21% (prizes 70%, fees 9%); instant games 20% (prizes 65%, fees 15%); keno 30% (prizes 58%, fees 12%); video games 21% (prizes 67%, fees 12%) (Split 50% central and 50% local; the central share goes 60% to the National Social Security Fund, 30% to central special projects and 5% each to the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the General Administration of Sport. It may not be used to balance the general budget (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 33).)

Compliance

Minimum age
18+
National self-exclusion
Not yet verified
KYC timing
At purchase where age is in doubt; at prize claim above CNY 3,000; on opening an internet account
AML regime
Lottery issuers and sellers must operate a risk management system and a suspicious funds reporting system (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 14).
Central monitoring system
The Ministry of Finance and provincial finance departments must maintain information systems covering lottery issuance, sales and funds (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 30). Sales data are sealed from the close of sales until the draw ends (art. 22) and kept for at least 60 months (Implementing Rules, art. 33).
KYC requirements
Lottery may not be sold to, or prizes paid to, anyone under 18, and sellers must ask for identification where age is unclear (Law on the Protection of Minors, arts. 2 and 59; Implementing Rules, art. 29). Winners claim within 60 days and show identification where the game rules require it (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 25). Computer lottery claims above CNY 3,000 require real-name registration of the winner (Announcement No. 12 of 2024, art. 3). Internet lottery accounts must be opened in the buyer’s own name with identity number and telephone, and bound to the buyer’s own debit card (Interim Measures of 2010, arts. 15 and 16).
Stake limits
Not yet verified
Mandatory player messaging
Lottery outlets must display the issuer’s sales sign and warning slogans (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 17) and a sign that lottery is not sold to minors (Law on the Protection of Minors, art. 59).
Reporting obligations
Issuers publish sales and draw results after each period (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 24) and each game’s annual sales, prizes, pool and adjustment fund balances by 31 May (Implementing Rules, art. 31). The Ministry of Finance publishes national sales monthly, and finance departments report public welfare fund raising, allocation and use each year (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 37).
Game content restrictions
Only games approved by the Ministry of Finance may be sold, within the types lotto, numbers, quiz, traditional, instant, video and keno (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 7; Implementing Rules, art. 11). The Ministry sets the maximum prize for a single bet (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 31) and approves the launch and withdrawal of games, for example 19 instant welfare games approved in July 2026 and nine welfare games withdrawn the same month.

Minimum age by vertical

  • Lottery and iLottery: 18+

Advertising

Advertising permitted
No
Affiliate rules
Acting as an agent of a gambling website and accepting bets is opening a casino under Criminal Law art. 303 (Fa Shi [2005] No. 3, art. 2). There is no lawful affiliate model for gambling.
Penalties for breach
Gambling content in advertising: fine of CNY 200,000 to 1 million on the advertiser and on the agency and publisher, confiscation of fees, and revocation of the business licence in serious cases (Advertising Law, art. 57). Misleading promotion by a lottery retailer: CNY 2,000 to 10,000 and possible termination of the retail contract (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 41).

Restrictions

  • Advertisements may not contain gambling content (Advertising Law, art. 9(8)).
  • Publications, broadcasts and online information promoting gambling that harms minors are prohibited (Law on the Protection of Minors, art. 50).
  • Internet information services may not spread gambling information and must stop transmission and report it when found (Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services, arts. 15(7) and 16).
  • Knowingly providing advertising or promotion for a crime committed through information networks, such as an online gambling site, is itself a crime (Criminal Law art. 287-2).
  • The state lotteries are marketed by their issuers, which buy marketing and advertising services by government procurement (Implementing Rules, arts. 8 and 19); lottery bodies may not make false or misleading claims (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 18(1)).

Payments

Credit card ban
Not yet verified
Crypto stance
Not yet verified
Payment blocking regime
No statutory payment blocking list was found. Knowingly providing payment settlement to gambling is complicity in the gambling offence (Fa Shi [2005] No. 3, art. 4) and, for online crime, a separate offence (Criminal Law art. 287-2). The Ministry of Public Security said in 2020 that payment institutions settling cross-border gambling funds would be investigated, and in 2025 reported campaigns against gambling-linked payment institutions and underground banks.
Withdrawal timeframe rules
Lottery prizes must be claimed within 60 days of the draw or are forfeited (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 25); unclaimed prizes go to the public welfare fund.
Currency restrictions
Lottery may not be sold on credit (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 18(4)). Prizes are paid only in renminbi, not in kind and not by instalments (Implementing Rules, art. 42). Internet lottery accounts must be bound to the buyer’s own bank debit card (Interim Measures of 2010, art. 16).

Enforcement

ISP blocking
Not yet verified
DNS blocking
Not yet verified
Payment blocking
Not yet verified
App store takedowns
Not yet verified
Administrative penalties
Providing conditions for gambling for profit, or gambling with relatively large stakes: up to five days’ detention or a fine of up to CNY 1,000; in serious cases ten to fifteen days’ detention plus CNY 1,000 to 5,000 (Public Security Administration Punishments Law, art. 82). Unauthorised lottery sales not amounting to a crime are also punished by the police (Lottery Administration Regulations, art. 38).
Criminal penalties
Gathering people to gamble or gambling as a profession: up to three years plus a fine. Opening a casino, including running or acting as agent for a gambling website: up to five years, or five to ten years in serious cases, plus a fine; organising citizens to gamble abroad is punished the same way (Criminal Law art. 303). Unauthorised lottery: illegal business, up to five years or more than five years in especially serious cases (art. 225; Fa Shi [2005] No. 3, art. 6).
Operator liability
Running an online gambling site, or acting as its agent and accepting bets, is opening a casino; PRC citizens running gambling in neighbouring areas abroad mainly for PRC customers may be prosecuted; and those knowingly providing funds, networks, communications or payment settlement are accomplices (Fa Shi [2005] No. 3, arts. 2 to 4). Since 2021 organising citizens to gamble abroad is a crime in its own right (Criminal Law art. 303).
Player liability
Gambling with relatively large stakes is a public security offence punished by detention or a fine (Public Security Administration Punishments Law, art. 82). The Ministry of Public Security states that taking part in cross-border online gambling is unlawful and that participants will be dealt with, and it runs blacklists with exit and credit sanctions. Non-profit play for small stakes is not gambling (Fa Shi [2005] No. 3, art. 9).

Notable actions

  • Online football betting during the 2026 World Cup20 Jul 2026

    The Cyber Security Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security published 10 typical cases involving agents of offshore betting sites, payment settlement for them and players who bet for others; all suspects were placed under criminal detention

  • Principal suspect in the “Wanhe Football” online betting platform run from Cambodia29 Apr 2026

    Extradited from Thailand to Tianjin; the platform recruited agents and players in China and handled more than CNY 500 million

  • Private lottery gambling ring using offshore draw results26 Nov 2025

    Eleven suspects handed over by Malaysian police in Kuala Lumpur and escorted back to Hainan; two further rings dismantled

  • Cross-border gambling, 2024 results6 Feb 2025

    73,000 cross-border gambling and related cases investigated and more than 4,500 online gambling platforms taken down in 2024; more than 11,000 suspects arrested in cluster operations; more than 1,200 gambling and fraud suspects returned from Cambodia on charter flights and more than 3,700 repatriated or persuaded to return

  • Pornography and gambling offences, 2024 results20 Feb 2025

    More than 60,000 criminal cases and more than 500,000 public security cases involving pornography or gambling; more than 800 football betting criminal cases and more than 500 betting gangs broken up

Timeline

  1. 11 Mar 1994

    State Council General Office approves the issue of sports lottery tickets to fund major sports events

  2. 14 Mar 1997

    Revised Criminal Law adopted, including the gambling offence in Article 303

  3. 13 May 2005

    SPC and SPP interpretation on gambling crimes in force, treating gambling websites and their agents as opening a casino

  4. 1 Jul 2009

    Lottery Administration Regulations in force

  5. 26 Sept 2010

    Ministry of Finance issues the Interim Measures for the Administration of Internet Lottery Sales

  6. 1 Mar 2012

    Implementing Rules for the Lottery Administration Regulations in force

  7. 1 Oct 2018

    Amended Implementing Rules classify unauthorised internet lottery sales as illegal lottery

  8. 9 Apr 2020

    Ministry of Public Security notice on combating cross-border gambling and telecom fraud

  9. 1 Mar 2021

    Criminal Law Amendment XI in force: Article 303 rewritten, with casino penalties of up to ten years and an offence of organising citizens to gamble abroad

  10. 1 Sept 2024

    Announcement on lottery prize claims and tax in force

  11. 6 Feb 2025

    Ministry of Public Security reports 73,000 cross-border gambling cases and 4,500 platforms taken down in 2024

  12. 26 Nov 2025

    Eleven private lottery gambling suspects returned from Malaysia

  13. 1 Jan 2026

    Revised Public Security Administration Punishments Law in force, raising fines for gambling

  14. 30 Jan 2026

    Ministry of Finance reports 2025 lottery sales of CNY 627.97 billion

  15. 29 Apr 2026

    Principal suspect in a major cross-border online betting case extradited from Thailand

  16. 11 May 2026

    State Council publishes its 2026 legislative work plan, with no gambling or lottery item

  17. 20 Jul 2026

    Ministry of Public Security publishes 10 World Cup online football betting cases

  18. 14 Aug 2026

    Ministry of Finance issues new measures on lottery market regulation funds, applying from the 2027 budget

  19. 26 Aug 2026

    Ministry of Finance announces CNY 162.11 billion of lottery public welfare funds raised in 2025

  20. 22 Sept 2026

    Ministry of Finance reports January to August 2026 lottery sales of CNY 478.43 billion, up 13.0%

Outlook

No draft law affecting the prohibition or the lottery regime was found at review, and the State Council’s 2026 legislative work plan lists none. Expect continued Ministry of Public Security action against offshore online betting and its agents and payment channels, which it tied to the 2026 World Cup, and continued extraditions and returns from South-east Asia. On the lottery side, the Ministry of Finance publishes national sales every month and keeps approving and withdrawing games; its new rules on lottery market regulation funds apply from the 2027 budget round.

Frequently asked questions

Is any gambling legal in mainland China?
Only the two state lotteries, the welfare lottery and the sports lottery, issued under the Lottery Administration Regulations and supervised by the Ministry of Finance. Commercial gambling is a crime under Article 303 of the Criminal Law, and there is no casino or online gambling licence.
Can an offshore operator lawfully take bets from players in mainland China?
No. Running a gambling website or acting as its agent is opening a casino, punishable by up to ten years in serious cases, and since 1 March 2021 organising Chinese citizens to gamble abroad is punished the same way. Those knowingly providing payment settlement or technical support are prosecuted as accomplices.
Are players liable?
Yes. Gambling with relatively large stakes is a public security offence punished by up to five days’ detention or a fine of up to CNY 1,000, and ten to fifteen days plus up to CNY 5,000 in serious cases. The Ministry of Public Security says taking part in cross-border online gambling is unlawful.
How large is the lottery market?
Ministry of Finance figures show sales of CNY 627.97 billion in 2025, up 0.7%, of which sports lottery was CNY 419.39 billion and welfare lottery CNY 208.58 billion. Sales for January to August 2026 were CNY 478.43 billion, up 13.0%, driven by sports quiz games during the World Cup.
How are lottery winnings taxed?
At 20% as incidental income. A single win of CNY 10,000 or less is exempt; above that the whole win is taxed, withheld by the lottery body. Computer lottery claims above CNY 3,000 require real-name registration.
Who regulates gambling in China?
The Ministry of Finance (MOF) regulates gambling in China. Other authorities with a role include Ministry of Civil Affairs and General Administration of Sport.

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All 41 articles on China →

Sources

Source tiers. Tier 1: the law, official gazette, licence register or regulator itself. Tier 2: other official sources such as ministries, parliaments, courts and statistics agencies. Only tier 1 and tier 2 sources can support a fact on their own.

  1. Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China (consolidated to Amendment XI), Articles 225, 287-2 and 303

    National Database of Laws and Regulations, NPC Standing Committee (flk.npc.gov.cn) (translated)

    Text read from the official .docx served by the database for this record. Amendment XII (2023) amends other articles and leaves Articles 225, 287-2 and 303 unchanged.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 26 Dec 2020
  2. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 26 Dec 2020
  3. Amendment XII to the Criminal Law of the PRC

    National Database of Laws and Regulations, NPC Standing Committee (flk.npc.gov.cn) (translated)

    Text read from the official .docx served by the database for this record.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 29 Dec 2023
  4. Interpretation of the Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procuratorate on the application of law in gambling criminal cases (Fa Shi [2005] No. 3)

    National Database of Laws and Regulations, NPC Standing Committee (flk.npc.gov.cn) (translated)

    Text read from the official .docx served by the database for this record.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 11 May 2005
  5. Public Security Administration Punishments Law of the PRC (revised 27 June 2025, in force 1 January 2026), Articles 11, 82 and 87

    National Database of Laws and Regulations, NPC Standing Committee (flk.npc.gov.cn) (translated)

    Text read from the official .docx served by the database for this record.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 27 Jun 2025
  6. Public Security Administration Punishments Law of the PRC (2012 amended text, superseded), Article 70

    National Database of Laws and Regulations, NPC Standing Committee (flk.npc.gov.cn) (translated)

    Text read from the official .docx served by the database for this record.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 26 Oct 2012
  7. Advertising Law of the PRC (as amended 29 April 2021), Articles 9 and 57

    National Database of Laws and Regulations, NPC Standing Committee (flk.npc.gov.cn) (translated)

    Text read from the official .docx served by the database for this record.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 29 Apr 2021
  8. Law of the PRC on the Protection of Minors (as amended 26 April 2024), Articles 2, 50 and 59

    National Database of Laws and Regulations, NPC Standing Committee (flk.npc.gov.cn) (translated)

    Text read from the official .docx served by the database for this record.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 26 Apr 2024
  9. Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services (State Council Order No. 292, as revised 6 December 2024), Articles 15, 16 and 20

    National Database of Laws and Regulations, NPC Standing Committee (flk.npc.gov.cn) (translated)

    Text read from the official .docx served by the database for this record.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 6 Dec 2024
  10. Lottery Administration Regulations (State Council Order No. 554)

    Central People’s Government of the PRC (gov.cn) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 4 May 2009
  11. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 16 Aug 2018
  12. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 26 Sept 2010
  13. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 11 Mar 1994
  14. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 15 Aug 2024
  15. Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 16 Aug 2024
  16. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 9 Apr 2020
  17. National lottery sales in December 2025 (with full-year 2025 totals)

    Ministry of Finance, Comprehensive Department (zhs.mof.gov.cn) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 30 Jan 2026
  18. National lottery sales in August 2026 (with January to August 2026 totals)

    Ministry of Finance, Comprehensive Department (zhs.mof.gov.cn) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 22 Sept 2026
  19. Ministry of Finance Announcement No. 24 of 2026: lottery public welfare funds raised and allocated in 2025

    Ministry of Finance, Comprehensive Department (zhs.mof.gov.cn) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 26 Aug 2026
  20. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 17 Jul 2026
  21. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 29 Jul 2026
  22. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 30 May 2025
  23. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 14 Aug 2026
  24. State Council 2026 legislative work plan (Guo Ban Fa [2026] No. 14)

    Central People’s Government of the PRC (gov.cn) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 11 May 2026
  25. Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 6 Feb 2025
  26. Public security organs crack down on pornography and gambling offences in 2024

    Ministry of Public Security (mps.gov.cn) (translated)

    Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 20 Feb 2025
  27. Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 26 Nov 2025
  28. Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 1 May 2026
  29. Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 20 Jul 2026

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