Is online gambling legal in China?

Sending or receiving funds for gambling is illegal, and authorities prosecute individuals involved in transactions. Welfare and Sports Lottery prizes above ¥10,000 are subject to 20% personal income tax. Macau and Hong Kong have separate rules.

Online gambling is not legal here. Playing on offshore sites can get you into legal trouble.

Online sports betting is banned in China. Online casino is banned in China. Online poker is banned in China. The lottery is legal on sites licensed in China.

Using a VPN to reach gambling sites from China: Restricted.

Gambling with crypto: Banned.

You must be 18 to gamble online in China.

Welfare and Sports Lottery prizes above ¥10,000 are subject to 20% personal income tax. Other gambling is illegal.

There are approximately 2 licensed operators in China as of 18 Jun 2026.

No national licence for online gambling exists here, so a site taking deposits from players in China is not licensed locally, whatever licence it shows from elsewhere.

Ministry of Finance (ultimate oversight); China Welfare Lottery Issuance and Management Centre (under Ministry of Civil Affairs); Sports Lottery Administration Center (under General Administration of Sport). Enforcement is led by the Ministry of Public Security.'s website

Prominent operators in China

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  Only Purchase from Official, Physical Retailers

  Legal lottery tickets (Welfare and Sports) can only be purchased from authorized vendors in mainland China. Any website or app offering to sell lottery tickets online is illegal.

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  Look for the Official Branding

  Ensure the retailer displays the official logo and branding of the 'China Welfare Lottery' (中国福利彩票) or 'China Sports Lottery' (中国体育彩票).

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  Refuse All Online Casino, Poker, or Sports Betting Sites

  Any website offering these products is operating illegally. They offer no player protection, and using them exposes you to criminal liability and financial loss.

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  Never Send Money to Private Bank Accounts for Gambling

  Illegal operators often use third-party payment agents and private bank accounts to process deposits. This is a clear sign of a criminal operation. Legal lottery purchases are made in person at the point of sale.

What the rules mean for bonus offers you see in China. The rules operators must follow are on the operator page.

We have no record of a national self-exclusion scheme or problem-gambling helpline in China. The law does not require licensed sites to offer deposit limits. Reality checks (reminders of how long you have played) are not required.

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   1. For Legal Lotteries

   For disputes related to the official Welfare or Sports lotteries, the first step is to contact the provincial lottery administration center where the ticket was purchased. There is no national, centralized online portal for player complaints.

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   2. For Illegal Gambling

   There is no dispute resolution path for illegal gambling. The only legal recourse is to report the illegal operation to the police (Ministry of Public Security). Any funds wagered are considered gambling funds and are subject to confiscation by the state. Players have no legal claim to winnings or deposits.

• Myth

  Using a VPN makes it safe to play on offshore gambling sites.
  Reality

  This is false. While VPNs can bypass initial ISP blocks, the Ministry of Public Security actively monitors such traffic. More importantly, sending or receiving funds for gambling is illegal, and authorities aggressively dismantle payment channels and prosecute individuals involved in transactions, regardless of VPN use.

• Myth

  Small bets are not a crime; it's just entertainment.
  Reality

  This is false. While casual, small-stakes social games may not be prosecuted, any activity on an online platform for profit is considered a criminal act. Article 303 of the Criminal Law can be triggered by organizing gambling for three or more people with total stakes exceeding RMB 50,000.

• Myth

  Winnings from foreign sites can't be traced by the government.
  Reality

  This is false. Chinese authorities have a sophisticated system for monitoring financial transactions and work to dismantle underground banks and third-party payment platforms used by gambling syndicates. Individuals caught receiving funds from these sources face severe penalties.