China Will Continue To Focus On Disrupting Cross-Border Gambling Activities In 2024

Summary:

• China will implement tighter checks at boundary checkpoints this year
• Investigation efforts will be intensified to prosecute those involved in overseas gambling activities
• The government claims it successfully curbed cross-border gambling in 2023

China is ramping up its campaign against cross-border gambling, placing heavy emphasis on disrupting potential gambling networks within the mainland.

In a notice published this week, the country’s Ministry of Public Security outlined a number of measures that the government plans to undertake to combat the problem more effectively, including conducting heightened checks at boundary checkpoints and bolstering cooperation with law enforcement agencies overseas.

Latest Measures Focused on Disrupting Gambling Networks

The government will enforce stricter boundary checkpoints within the mainland to eliminate the “channels for gambling participation”, according to Tuesday’s release. Authorities will also keep a close watch on individuals suspected to be involved in networks that solicit gamblers, and will intensify investigation efforts to accurately target those engaged in organizing overseas gambling activities and profiting from such activities.

Additionally, authorities will crack down hard on so-called “underground banks” and illicit payment platforms that allegedly funnel funds for illegal gambling activities. Websites and mobile casino apps will be tightly monitored and a regular clearing action will be conducted to shut down sites that promote or offer gambling services, Tuesday’s release stated.

The measures were discussed in a recent teleconference attended by Minister of Public Security, Wang Xiaohong, according to a report by state-run news agency, Xinhua.

The Chinese government will also strengthen existing partnerships with international law enforcement bodies to deal with crimes associated with cross-border gambling, such as illegal detention and kidnapping, blackmail, and scams.

It will continue to cooperate with neighboring countries in Southeast Asia under agreements forged with those nations, alongside arrangements with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reached in September last year. China and ASEAN came up with a roadmap which featured a total of 30 specific actions aimed at addressing cross-border gambling and the crimes linked to it.

Both parties agreed to revise and strengthen legislative and regulatory frameworks for the gaming sector and other industries at risk of being exploited by organized crime groups, and invest in improving financial and technological literacy among communities mostly targeted by criminal groups.

China Claims Success in Combating Cross-border Gambling in 2023

The government said has been successful so far in its fight against cross-border gambling, claiming that authorities managed to bring under control the “rampant” level of cross-border gambling activities.