China: 50,000 arrested in connection with gambling and prostitution in 2022

Underground casinos, online gambling and other new forms of gambling were targeted by Chinese police.

China.- The Ministry of Public Security has announced that authorities detained over 50,000 people linked to over 400,000 offences involving prostitution and gambling activities in 2022. The ministry said that it had observed a growing trend of these crimes migrating onto the internet.

As a result, Chinese police have been targeting underground casinos, online gambling and new types of gambling. The ministry has promised to follow up on key cases and to strengthen cross-departmental coordination.

Last year, Chinese authorities signed various cooperation agreements with countries in the region to combat online and cross-border gambling. In addition, in 2020, the Chinese government established a blacklist of destinations to which cross-border transfers are restricted.

The blacklist is compiled by multiple departments, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security. In March 2021, China’s revised Criminal Law made it illegal to assist cross-border gambling.