The People’s Republic of China, founded on the 1st of October, 1949 is situated in East Asia and shares its borders with 14 other countries. It is one of the existing four ancient civilizations of the world which has about 5800 years of history. After years of economic development, more people are paying attention to sports and sports betting. Nevertheless, the stringent laws for gambling are a problem for the bettors. Therefore, it is crucial to understand Introduction of betting sites in China, a brief of gambling laws in China, and the of sports betting in China.
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Table of Contents
Summary of Key Events
History of Gambling Laws in China
Before getting to the present and potential situation, it is crucial to address the history of gambling laws in China to grasp today’s sports betting position. Gambling has been part of China for a very long time, it is in fact one of the oldest countries that have embraced gambling. Although, the contemporary gambling laws started to develop in the 20th century.
- 1949: Following the establishment of the People’s Republic of China all types of gambling were outlawed.
- 1987: In this case, the government came up with the Welfare Lottery to help fund social welfare.
- 1994: The China Sports Lottery was introduced as a form of financing for the development of sports and construction of public sports undertakings.
Gambling Regulatory Agencies
The aspect of regulating gambling in China is done by different government agencies that ensure that gambling laws are adhered to and control legal gambling.
- Ministry of Public Security: The main objective of this agency include the regulation of gambling laws and fighting against the unlawful gambling activities.
- China Welfare Lottery Management Centre: Supervises the Welfare Lottery, which is involved in contributing the money to the social welfare projects.
- China Sports Lottery Administration Centre: Oversees the Sports Lottery, which promotes the healthy approach to gambling, and provides funding for the sports-related initiatives.
Prohibited and Permitted Bets
In China, the variety of allowed bets is quite narrow because the country has rather severe laws regarding gambling. Here’s what you can and cannot bet on:
- Prohibited Bets
- Specifically, the services offered include casino games such as poker and slot machines.
- The government approved online gambling sites are.
- P2P betting services
- Permitted Bets
- Welfare Lottery tickets
- The Sports Lottery tickets which include the international sports events
- Betting on horses (allowed only in particular areas and only with certain conditions).
Gambling Licenses and Fees
This makes the process of getting a gambling license in China a rather complicated one as the standards are strict. The types of licenses and associated fees are as follows:
- Welfare Lottery License: Licenses lotteries which are used to support social causes.
- Sports Lottery License: Enables organizations to engage in lotteries for the development of sports.
Fees for these licenses as well as other taxes can be steep and this keeps the market limited to only big companies that are also compliant.
Most Used Betting Sites in China
Nevertheless, there are a number of betting sites that are trendiest among the Chinese players. These are the official and semi-official sites, as well as the international sites that work in the legal twilight zone.
Dafabet
Dafabet: The most common and popular channel through which people place their bets in sports. It gives countless sports, a high level of live betting, and quite high coefficients, which is why it is very popular among the fans of sports.
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188Bet
188Bet: Lists a number of sports to bet on, and has gained its reputation for having a simple website and helpful support staff. It also offers live streaming of events and has bonuses that will attract the player.
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22Bet
22bet: It is also famous for its variety in betting options and various promotions. 22bet has numerous sports, casino games, and virtual sports, and also has a mobile application for the players.
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1xBet
1Xbet: Offers a plenty of sporting events for betting and has a useful app for mobile devices. It is packed with many betting options such as eSports betting and has multiple currency options for users from different parts of the world.
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Payment methods at Betting Sites in China
Online gambling is booming in China and because of this, it is essential to know the forms of payments used by the Chinese players. As a sport bettor, you have to make use of one of the four major payment providers in China, these are WeChat, Alipay, UnionPay, and Cryptocurrency.
- Currently, over 1 billion users are actively using WeChat monthly, and thus, it is the most used payment system in China.
- To use WeChat for gambling, a special “Wallet” section must be opened in the application and replenished from a bank account.
Alipay
- Alipay a subsidiary of Alibaba group has over 800 million users in China and among the services it provides include online gambling.
- To place a bet on sports, the user has to open the Alipay app and create an account for betting and funds can be added from the bank.
UnionPay
- UnionPay comes third in the list of most used payment methods in China and is accepted in most online bookmakers.
- It is as easy as inputting the UnionPay card details on a betting sites in China or a mobile application of a bookmaker.
Cryptocurrencies
- Cryptocurrencies are gaining more and more popularity in the sphere of internet betting, and especially on betting sites in China.
- Such virtual currencies as Bitcoin allow Chinese consumers to bet on sports and buy goods on the Internet.
Due to the acceptance of these payment methods in many of the top betting sites located in China and the availability of bonuses and promotions, online gambling is still on the rise in the country.
Major Sports Activities Celebrated in China
China has also held and been a part of many large sporting events and thus has further encouraged sports betting.
Key Milestone Events
- 2008 Beijing Olympics: It was China which emerged as the champion in the race with 51 gold medals.
- 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing: Still another major event demonstrating China’s sport achievements.
- Asian Games: The Asian Games has always been dominated by China and they have been raking in thousands of medals over the years.
Celebrating Chinese Sports Stars
China has a large number of sport stars who received recognition in the world. It helps to tell success stories of the platform that attracts millions of people to engage in sports betting.
Notable Figures
- Yao Ming: The well-known basketball player, who became a great star in the NBA.
- Li Ning: Olympic gymnast who bagged six medals in the 1984 Los Angeles games.
- Liu Xiang: Athlete in the 400m hurdles event and Olympic Games champion of 2004 in Athens as well as world record holder.
Comparing the Laws of Different Regions on Gambling
To better comprehend China’s stance on gambling, it is helpful to look at the laws of neighboring countries.
Japan
- Mainly involves in accepting bets on horse racing, bicycle racing, motorcycle racing, and boat racing.
- Casinos are legal but they are under certain restrictions.
South Korea
- It is forbidden for the citizens but the foreigners are allowed in certain defined casinos in the country.
- Legal types of betting include horse racing and lottery games.
Vietnam
- Permits sports betting and lottery games but with certain conditions.
- Casinos are allowed, although only foreigners and certain citizens are allowed to enter.
Conclusion
It is a known fact that the Chinese legislation is complicated and ever evolving which makes it rather challenging to find the way around betting sites. Thus, being in such an environment, where the choices are limited and monitored by the authorities, bettors have to be careful and informed. However, the legalized lotteries and the increasing passion towards sports offer a way for those who want to partake in sports betting.
FAQ on Betting Sites in China
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