China Continues Crackdown on Cross-border Gambling

China’s Public Security Ministry has outlined further plans to crack down on cross-border gambling crimes to “sustain the economic security and public stability of China.”

Last week, Chinese Public Security Minister Zhao Kezhi held a meeting themed “Combating Cross-border gambling” at which he underlined the importance of destroying cross-border gambling syndicates operating in China.

The goal is “to crack down on any illegal fundraising network for gambling in our territory, and to resolutely cut off the gambling-related capital chain, technology chain, promotion channel and gamblers flows,” he said.

The crackdown will see the Ministry of Public Security strengthen international cooperation with nearby countries to jointly combat cross-border crimes, while also expanding a “blacklist” of overseas tourist destinations it says are attracting Chinese tourists for gambling activities.

“We must strictly punish and prevent the soil of cross-border gambling, using the highest and heaviest penalties to achieve the strongest legal deterrence. We must create a strong atmosphere of rejecting gambling,” Zhao said.