WeChat closes gambling accounts

The China-based social media app WeChat has removed 50,000 accounts and 8000 group chats related to illegal online gambling during World Cup 2018.

Gambling is officially illegal in China. But social media users are still getting a number of messages inviting them to bet online, especially after the World Cup frenzy emerged. Although betting is officially illegal in the country, there are a number of State-run gambling systems, including the China Sports Lottery, which is the second biggest lottery in the world.

“During the World Cup, World Cup gambling websites have been shut down by the government, causing some betting activities to migrate to social platforms,” read a statement from WeChat.

“We appeal to the majority of users to watch the World Cup rationally, to appreciate the competitive nature of football and respect the spirit of the game, and keep away from gambling.”

Or at least, away from illegal gambling. Forbes reported that during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, China Sports Lottery’s match betting sales jumped by an incredible 384.3% and that in the first quarter of this year, the State-run organisation’s sales were already at 16.5 billion USD. In the first three weeks of the World Cup, reports betting site Calvin Ayre, the Sports Lottery raked in 28.6 billion RMB (4.3 billion USD) in sales.

Many illegal World Cup betting sites and WeChat accounts act as a proxy for Chinese citizens to bet via overseas gambling outlets. One such operation in Beijing that was shut down by the authorities this past weekend, resulting in the arrests of 46 individuals, had reportedly handled 320 million RMB (48 million USD) in bets.

Source: radiichina.com