Mainland China’s total official lottery sales for August dropped to RMB28.09 billion (US$4.4 billion), down 10.9 percent year-on-year, according to official data from the country’s Ministry of Finance, published on Friday.
Welfare lottery sales decreased by 11.8 percent to reach RMB15.0 billion, while sports lottery sales dropped 9.9 percent to RMB13.1 billion, the Ministry of Finance announced.
Sales were down in 23 of the 31 provincial level jurisdictions of mainland China where sales of lottery tickets are allowed.
Combined lottery sales in the first eight months of this year amounted to RMB242.8 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 1.8 percent.
Welfare lottery sales between January and August increased by 0.4 percent year-on-year to RMB133.4 billion, while sports lottery sales were RMB109.4 billion, down 4.2 percent.
Online sales of mainland China lottery products are currently suspended, a move described by the authorities as temporary but which has hit several companies. In early April, eight Chinese government agencies confirmed a suspension of what they described as “unauthorised online lottery sales services”.
