China mulls new crime definition for int’l gambling operators

China’s anti-gambling campaign shows no sign of letting up, with the country putting international companies on notice of possible criminal penalties.

On Tuesday, state-run media reported that the Chinese Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress was reviewing an amendment to the country’s laws that would officially criminalize overseas entities that attempt to lure Chinese citizens for gambling purposes.

This review coincides with an Australian probe into casino operator Crown Resorts that has at times put great focus on the company’s promotion of gambling to customers on the Chinese mainland, in violation of Chinese law. Those ill-advised promotions ultimately resulted in the arrest and lengthy detention in China of a number of Crown staffers.

In August, China’s Ministry of Culture & Tourism announced a ‘blacklist’ of overseas gambling destinations, although the announcement failed to actually name the countries that would be included on this list.