Chinese Anti-Gambling Legislation Implemented

China just implemented their own version of the UIGEA on Sunday. Their is now anti-gambling legislation in China that prohibit all forms of gambling or online gambling. The only exclusion would be the national lottery that is controlled by the Chinese government. This new legislation even restricts the marketing or advertising of online gambling within China and it makes it a criminal offense to advertise any online gambling activities to anyone from within the country.

The government proclaims that this new legislation will protect the country’s children but many have speculated that this is just another law to censor and control the Chinese population. The new law states that online games targeting minors must not violates social morals and the law. With such a broad term, the law could be open to speculation among Chinese legal experts.

The online gambling industry was estimated to be worth $3.8 billion in 2009, but the Chinese government has done everything in its power to wipe out the gambling industry. This will eventually lead to citizens playing at underground sites and the government losing much needed tax dollars. The population of China has just reached 420 million and it is a country that every online casino wants to gain access to, but can’t seem to penetrate.