Countries across the world are slowly becoming stricter in matters of gambling, especially those involving cross-border transactions. The latest addition to that list is China. The second most populous country in the world has turned a strict eye on cross-border gambling, as the government aims to restrict such transactions.
China Enforces Strict Penalties
The Supreme People’s Court of China is cracking down on cross-border online gambling. It has told courts to continue giving harsh penalties to those involved, especially organizers, leaders, and repeat offenders. This strong approach aims to reduce financial risks and protect the economy. The court is worried about overseas casinos and online gambling groups targeting Chinese citizens. These groups take a lot of money out of the country and cause other crimes like kidnapping, illegal detention, fraud, extortion, and money laundering. These crimes harm social stability, economic security, and the country’s image, according to China Daily.
The Supreme People’s Court of China stated that crimes related to cross-border online gambling harm social stability, economic security, and the country’s image, which is why they demand harsher penalties. In recent cases, 34 suspects were charged with operating illegal casinos, with one organizer sentenced to prison and fined RMB800,000 (US$110,395.04) by the Wenzhou Court. Another case involved a ringleader sentenced to life imprisonment for 26 crimes, including running casinos and illegal detention. The Alvin Chau and Suncity Group case was highlighted as a typical example of cross-border gambling, with the group having a clear hierarchy and recruiting many gamblers. Alvin Chau was sentenced to 18 years for money laundering and criminal association, and his appeal to the Macau Court of Appeals was rejected.
