Online poker operators in China are bracing for the full impact of an imminent ban in the country.

South China Morning Post reported that the Chinese government will no longer recognize poker as a competitive sport starting on June 1, although the legal framework of the ban has yet to be published, which means changes are possible.

In a nutshell, the Chinese government will forbid app stores from offering poker so that its citizens won’t be able to download the game in their mobile phones and tablets. Social media channels, such as WeChat and Weibo, are also barred from promoting poker in general under the new Chinese policy.

The sudden Chinese crackdown on online poker application is expected to put a big dent on the earnings of the companies that operate them. The impact Chinese crackdown on poker will be felt drastically as far as Manila and South Korea’s Jeju Island, according to Hong Kong Poker Players Association managing director Stephen Lai.