China is giving international gambling operators until April 30 to turn themselves in or be thrown to the (metaphorical, we presume) lions. 

On Friday, China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate issued a joint ‘notice of surrender’ to individuals engaged in ‘cross-border’ gambling (online or land-based), warning them that they had until the end of April to throw themselves at the mercy of Chinese courts. 

The notice states that those who come forward now of their own accord will be given ‘the opportunity to rehabilitate and strive for leniency.’ Suitably contrite suspects may receive ‘a lighter or mitigated punishment according to law’ while those whose crimes are ‘relatively minor’ may get off with just a warning. 

However, those who come forward will be obliged to ‘report or expose the criminal behavior of others’ and ‘actively assist’ in the capture of other suspects. Such ‘significant meritorious service’ will be factored into the courts’ determination of the appropriate punishment.