Best Online lotteries in China 2023

China's lottery games are extremely popular, as the number of people buying tickets increases substantially from year to year. Since its inception, country lottery games are managed by state-run agencies, which often grapple with growing illegal gambling enterprises cutting into the government's market share.

Still, country lotto revenues are significant, allowing the government to support much needed social welfare and sports projects. Let's take a look at the history of China's lottery system, current trends, and future growth potential.

Best Online lotteries in China 2023
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When it comes to finding a convenient way to play lottery games online, 1xBet is the place you need to go! 1xBet is a well-established Lottery that was founded back in 2011. Since then, it has gained a positive reputation for being reliable and trustworthy, offering a large selection of games, a range of payment options, and a friendly customer service team. You will find everything you need on this website to enjoy a great online lottery gaming experience.

History of Lotteries in China
History of Lotteries in China

History of Lotteries in China

Between 205 and 187 BC, keno slips were one of the first signs of Chinese lotteries. Historians believe that the Han Dynasty used these slips to finance government projects, including China's Great Wall.

Found in China's 2nd millennium Book of Songs, the words 'drawing of wood' appears to reference games of chance in the form of drawings. These findings, lead historians to believe that China has a long history of gambling dating back to the country's earlier years.

More recently, in 1987, China established its official lottery with sales growing 33 percent every year. As the lottery has expanded, a variety of games are available for Chinese consumers, such as scratch cards, video terminals, virtual sports betting, and weekly lottery draws. All games are managed by lottery administrators.

History of Lotteries in China
Lotteries in China Today

Lotteries in China Today

Gambling is illegal nationwide in China, except for state-run lotteries, such as the Welfare Lottery and Sports Lottery. Both operations manage a wide range of lotteries products in China. Scratch card and other lottery related gambling must have approval from China's finance ministry and adhere to local regulations.

By 2014, the Welfare Lottery reported revenues near $60 billion. Proceeds are used to fund sports facilities and social welfare programs in the country.

Lotteries in China Today
How to play the Lottery in China

How to play the Lottery in China

Welfare Lottery tickets only cost 2 Yuan to play. Just choose numbers from one to 33, and a separate number from one to 16. Jackpots reach as high as hundreds of millions of Yuan. For matching all the numbers, a player wins 70 percent of the jackpot, if he or she is the only winner.

Picking six out of seven numbers correctly means a player wins 30 percent of the pot. Each ticket has reference number printed on it, which allows the player to check if his numbers won the lottery. Sports lotteries are also popular in China, and lottery participants can use knowledge of sports to win.

Licensed lottery sellers are more reputable than street vendors, who sometimes sell counterfeit tickets. Illegal gambling in China is worth up to 20 times as much as the legal market. Authorities regularly track nefarious bad actors, as the number of Chinese citizens betting on legal and illegal gambling options continues to grow.

With more than 200 million gamblers in China presently, at least 7 million are battling addiction to lottery ticket buying. In fact, 34.8 percent of players admit to spending spare time always thinking about playing the lottery or participating in lottery-related activities.

Since its inception, China's lottery has served as an enormous funding measure to support sports and social welfare programs. Unfortunately, it seems ticket buyers are less concerned about where the money is distributed, with 40 percent viewing the lottery as a form of entertainment.

How to play the Lottery in China
Chinese Future of Lotteries

Chinese Future of Lotteries

Lottery online site sales are continuing to grow as much as 30 times its numbers from just half a decade ago. In fact, lottery administrators are focusing on paperless tickets, including sales thru mobile phone applications.

Nearly 40 percent of lottery ticket buyers in China purchase via cellular phones. By 2011, ticket sales reached more than 15 billion. Growth potential for lottery ticket sales online is unlimited, given Chinese citizens have more than 128 million Android and iOS phones.

Chinese Future of Lotteries
Laws

Laws

Since 1949, the Communist Party has outlawed gambling for Chinese citizens. However, state-run lotteries are acceptable, and lottery administrators offer citizens a wide variety of lottery options to choose. There are two main lotteries operated by the government, the Sports and Welfare Lotteries.

However, the government has expanded the types of games available, including virtual sports betting and scratch cards.

With the exceptions of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau, gambling is illegal in China. Governed by Article 303 from the PRC Criminal Law, citizens are prohibited from engaging in gambling and face fines and imprisonment for violating the law. However, in 2005, the Supreme People's Court clarified the law to indicate that legitimate forms of gambling include the Welfare and Sports Lotteries.

Article 303 prohibits online and land-based gambling without defining what online gambling and land-based gambling entails. In addition, the finance ministry regulates lottery ticket seller licensing. According to China gambling regulations, only two state-run lotteries and associated products are legal.

Laws
China's favorite Lotteries

China's favorite Lotteries

Since 1987, the Welfare Lottery is authorized by the State Council to issue lottery tickets.

From 1994 to present, the Sports Lottery has also issued lottery tickets under the authorization of the State Council. These two lotteries represent the only forms of legal gambling in China, even though some exceptions have been made by the country's finance ministry, which regulates, supervises, and administers the national lottery.

Gambling products

According to China's laws, poker, chess, and other entertaining games are not considered gambling. Sports betting is allowed, if authorized by China's government. Otherwise, sports betting is considered illegal and prohibited.

Land-based

The Sports and Welfare lotteries are the only legal land-based lotteries permitted in China. However, government regulators may authorize entities to distribute lotteries by securing an agreement with the government. These authorized distributors must meet certain requirements, such as having a venue for lottery sales and enough capital to conduct lottery ticket sales. Requirements may vary between regions.

The Sports and Welfare Lotteries in China are immensely popular. Available to players 18 and older, results air immediately following the drawings, which occur in Shanghai. Lottery ticket holders tune in multiple times each week to check the winning lottery ticket numbers.

Lotto launched with the following format. After more than a decade in operation, the game's format hasn't changed. With multiple drawings a week, the lottery offers its ticket holders prizes in six categories. The jackpot begins at €500,000 (¥3.61 Million). The minimal cost of participating in the game draw gives players a chance to win one of the jackpot prizes for a small investment.

Fortunately, there is a 1 in 3 chance to win a prize, but the 1 in 79,453,500 jackpot odds are not as favorable. The odds don't deter Chinese residents from playing in hopes of winning large sums of money. One factor drawing players is that China's lottery winnings are remitted in a lump sum payment.

Winners must visit the lottery administrative headquarters in Shanghai to claim winnings above $468. All winners must pay a sum equaling 20 percent of the winnings toward taxes. After 60 days, winning tickets are no longer valid.

China's favorite Lotteries
Lottery Payment Methods in China

Lottery Payment Methods in China

China's citizens are following the mobile payment trend. Studies show that more than 92 percent of citizens in China's most populous cities use Alipay or Wechat, third-party payment processors, as a payment method. Even rural areas are on board, and 47 percent of rural players also preferring mobile payment methods.

Some companies are taking note. In 2017, AGTech holdings entered a contract with Alipay to distribute and sell lottery products on Alipay's Lottery Channel, depending on approval from the country's finance ministry and applicable regulations.

Alipay is an affiliate of Alibaba Group, which added AGTech to its conglomerate in 2016. Alibaba at one time accounted for more than 11 percent of China's lottery. However, in 2015, the finance ministry banned all online sales to tackle rampant fraud.

By 2020, the People's Bank released numbers that electronic payments in China grew by more than 6 percent. That same year, more than 30 billion mobile transactions were included in 62.1 billion electronic payments noted in the country. By March 2020, nearly 800 million Chinese citizens chose mobile payment options to purchase goods and services.

This trend extends to lottery online tickets. A website providing services to Chinese ticket buyers is called China Lotto, although it does not declare any official affiliation with the government. China Lotto is one of the best lottery sites and accepts several payment methods, including:

Visa

Visa Inc. is one of the most popular payment methods across the globe. By processing electronic transfers, the company manages one of the largest financial networks in the world through Visa-branded debit, pre-paid, and debit cards.

Mastercard

As a cooperative, Mastercard Worldwide is co-owned by more than 25,000 bank and financial establishments around the globe. Principally, the company facilitates payment processing for credit unions and banks, which issue Mastercard-branded credit, debit, and prepaid cards.

Neteller

Neteller provides money transfer services online for merchants, including forex trading companies, social networks, and merchants. User transfer funds to and from merchants or bank accounts, using the Net+ card.

Lottery Payment Methods in China
FAQs

FAQs

How does a person play China's lottery?

Players who are legally eligible to play the lottery in China may choose six number between 1 to 50 plus an additional ball from 1 to 5. Some lottery ticket buyers prefer the random selection process. Either way, players may choose which draws to enter before paying for the tickets.

What is the process for claiming lottery winnings?

Jackpot winners receive a call from a lottery representative, who assists with the claims process. Players who win other prizes online shall receive payment directly to the lottery account online. Winners choose whether to use winnings for future games or withdraw funds.

Can anyone play the China Lotto?

The online lottery, China Lotto at www.lotto.cn, is available to Chinese citizens, and in certain geographic areas across the globe. However, the website is governed by the Malta Gaming Authority, not the Chinese government. Laws in certain countries restrict those citizens from playing this online lottery game. Check with the gambling commission in the location of residence to ensure compliance with local gambling regulations.

Where can one buy Lotto China tickets?

The Sports and Social Welfare Lotteries offer tickets thru licensed and regulated retailers in the country. In October 2021, ticket Chinese lottery tickets sales exceeded $4 billion. The boom in business is a continuing trend that shows lottery tickets sales numbers continue to grow from every year. Ticket buyers may contact the administration center for the China Lottery for an updated list of retailers.

Playing the lottery in China offers citizens a form of entertainment while supporting good causes. As the lottery continues to grow, legal parameters are restricting some private entities from administering online lottery games. State-run lotteries are responsible for a huge portion of the market, even though illegal lottery and gambling enterprises draw more players.

Recently, the government has cracked down on those operating outside of the country's lottery regulations. Fortunately for the Chinese government, both the Sports and Social Welfare lotteries attract a large number of lottery ticket buyers. China's lottery game is extremely popular, drawing players from inside the country.

FAQs