Illegal football gambling in China: police hail success of summer operation

The Ministry of Public Security says over 500 gangs have been dismantled.

China.- Chinese police claim to have dismantled over 500 criminal gangs and resolved 825 criminal cases related to illegal football gambling as the result of a summer operation launched on June 24. Zhang Xiaopeng, deputy director of the Ministry of Public Security’s Bureau of Public Security Administration said in a press conference today that the cases involved transactions amounting to more than RMB 30bn (US$4.28bn).

Police across the country had been instructed to carry out special operations targeting football gambling during UEFA Euro 2024 and the Copa America.

In an unrelated case, 43 people were banned from Chinese football for life after a two-year investigation into illicit gambling and match-fixing in Chinese domestic sports. They included the former China internationals as well as former South Korean international Son Jun-ho.

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