The Chinese Government Further Tightens its Reigns on Gambling

China is a nation that seems to be uncannily gifted when it comes to combining principals and ideologies. This can be seen in that that nation is going through an economic boom, generously fed by capitalism despite the fact that it’s communist. 

Another example of this ability to combine seemingly opposing doctrines can be found in the Chinese gambling industry, both online and offline. Since the early 1900’s, the gambling industry in China has been all over the place. 

In 1949, the communist party came to power and one of the many things that the party changed was Chinese gambling law. Other than a highly successful national lottery, all forms of gambling within the great nation were formally outlawed. 

When the region know as Macau, controlled by the Portuguese, was given a certain measure of autonomy as an special economic zone, one of their wisest decisions was to legalize gambling exclusively to the area. At this point, the region’s economy has gone through the roof and they’ve surpassed even Las Vegas with gambling revenue. 

Gambling in the rest of the country, however, is strictly prohibited. Internet gambling in China has given the government a lot of grief. The local government doesn’t license online casinos but those who want to can access foreign sites, even if the government frowns upon it. 

Online casinos in China are few and far between, and becoming more scarce on a daily basis. This is especially the case in regards to new legislation which has developed in the People ’s Republic. 

Up until this point, the government has simply tried to block gambling sites from residents. Amendments were recently passed to require the nation’s telecommunications carriers and internet companies to assist authorities with investigations of companies that they are attempting to block.