Police Arrest Local Promoters of Foreign Online Casinos in China

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) continue on its crackdown to force the Chinese citizens to stop gambling and accept Chinese gambling laws, which is about as likely as forcing them to stop eating Chinese food.

Gambling is ingrained in the Chinese society for thousands of years to such an extent that it is even a religious obligation at time of funeral wakes to ensure that the spirit of the deceased gets the best possible odds when starting the afterlife. Yet, the powers that be continue the attack against the practice.

Members of Shanghai special police apprehended 11 members of a gang which promoted foreign based online casinos in China to local gamblers. The individuals are charged with organizing online gambling, an offense punishable by over 10 years of hard labor and reeducation.

The boss of the gang is a shadowy figure and a former elementary school teacher known only as Xu who was reputed to have promoted the foreign casino in the back rooms of smoky mahjong parlors deep within Shanghai’s Yangpu District, in the sunny north east district.

The prosecutors (who in PRC also acts as the judge, the defense attorney, and the one juror) told online gambling news in China that Xu transferred over 98 million (yuan) ($15.9 million) to a capitalist foreign casino.

The prosecutor also states that the defendant deserves far worse than the measly 10 years of hard labor and reeducation under the legal stature, and that he hopes the judge will be tough on Xu.

When reached by phone, the defense attorney would only state that Mr. Xu is a dedicated communist, a caring father, and a role model for neighborhood orphans, and that he hopes a lenient judge would be assigned.

We would closely follow this story but since trials take place behind closed doors and verdicts are rarely announced – there is absolutely no chance of us ever knowing Xu’s fate, and even less than 1% chance of that.