In a determined effort to curb the growing menace of cross-border online gambling, the Supreme People’s Court of China has issued a directive to courts across the nation, mandating the continuation of stringent penalties for those involved in such activities, mainly targeting organizers, ringleaders, and repeat offenders. This robust legal stance aims to mitigate financial risks and enhance the country’s economic security.
The court has expressed concern over the increasing targeting of Chinese citizens by overseas casinos and online gambling groups. These operations not only siphon off substantial domestic funds but also facilitate a host of associated crimes, including kidnapping, illegal detention, fraud, extortion, and money laundering. According to the judiciary, these crimes “seriously affect social stability and economic security and damage the country’s image,” according to China Daily.
In one notable enforcement action, the Wenzhou Intermediate People’s Court in Zhejiang province delivered a heavy judgment against a gambling ring led by an individual surnamed Zhang. This group was involved in the operation of illegal casinos and businesses, orchestrating a network that attracted over 60,000 people to participate in overseas gambling platforms. From this operation, they illegally acquired more than 8.9 billion yuan ($1.22 billion). Zhang, identified as the ring leader, was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined 800,000 yuan, with other group members also receiving various sentences and fines.
Another significant case involved a mafia-style organization headed by an individual surnamed Yu, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Zhejiang court. From 1995 to 2018, Yu and 65 associates engaged in over 170 criminal acts, including operating casinos and illegal detention. Their activities included organizing the smuggling of more than 100 people into Laos for gambling purposes, accruing illicit gains exceeding 50 million yuan.
Crucial Measures
The Supreme Court has praised the judiciary’s actions in these cases, stating that such decisive measures are crucial to disrupting the financial markets these criminal activities aim to exploit. The court emphasized the need for a continued, vigilant crackdown on gambling, organized by mafia-style gangs, which not only profit from illegal casino operations but also employ violence and intimidation to collect gambling debts.
Further underscoring the severity of the issue, the court cited the high-profile case of Alvin Chau and the Suncity Group as a “typical case of cross-border gambling.” Chau, who was once dubbed the Macau junket king, was involved in operating VIP rooms across several Macau casinos and, since 2015, had set up multiple online gambling platforms in the Philippines and elsewhere. His operations resulted in substantial capital outflows from China and caused significant societal harm. Chau was arrested in 2021 and has since been sentenced to 18 years in prison on charges including organized crime and illegal gaming.
This reinforced judicial approach reflects China’s broader strategy to secure its financial environment and maintain social order by rigorously policing the intersections of gambling and organized crime. The judiciary’s current mandate is clear: to remain unyieldingly vigilant in detecting and acting against gambling activities while adjudicating other cases, thereby aiming to eradicate the broader spectrum of criminality associated with gambling.
