Mainland China’s total official lottery sales for August were RMB31.01 billion (US$4.7 billion), up 10.4 percent year-on-year, according to official data from the country’s Ministry of Finance.
Welfare lottery sales increased by 5.8 percent, reaching RMB15.9 billion, while sports lottery sales went up 15.7 percent to RMB15.1 billion, the Ministry of Finance announced.
Sales were up – in year-on-year terms – in 26 of the 31 regional 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 RMB257.7 billion, a year-on-year increase of 6.1 percent.
Welfare lottery sales between January and August increased by 1.0 percent year-on-year to RMB134.8 billion, while sports lottery sales were RMB122.9 billion, up 12.3 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 April last year, eight Chinese government agencies confirmed a suspension of what they described as “unauthorised online lottery sales services”.
