China’s Supreme Court urges tougher penalities for cross-border gambling cases

China’s top court has urged courts nationwide to impose stricter penalties.

China.- The Supreme People’s Court has instructed courts in China to enforce strict penalties for those involved in cross-border gambling cases, with a special focus on related violent crimes.

In a statement reported by China Daily, China’s Supreme Court said: “With economic and internet development, the problem of overseas casinos enticing Chinese citizens to engage in gambling has become increasingly prominent.”

It added: “Gambling not only results in financial losses and broken families but also fosters other forms of violent crimes.”

The court mentioned six cases as examples. In one, a gambling syndicate leader, known as Wu, received a six-year prison sentence for managing gambling operations in Macau, which resulted in profits exceeding RMB300m (US$41.22m). Other members of the organisation were given prison sentences ranging from 30 to 36 months. According to the court, Wu was given a more severe punishment as his actions resulted in significant capital outflow.

The court also noted cases of cross-border gambling under the disguise of tourism. It also mentioned a case from the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region where a gambler, identified as Tang, was sentenced to death for intentional homicide for killing a person he had swindled after accumulated gambling debts.

In 2020, China established a blacklist of destinations to which cross-border transfers are restricted. The list is compiled by multiple departments, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security. Chinese authorities have also signed cooperation agreements with various countries in the region to combat online and cross-border gambling.