The General Administration of Sport and the Ministry of Public Security have formally published a joint notice on strictly investigating gambling, match-fixing and other violations in sport, the administration said on 2 March 20221. The notice sets out seven areas of work, including clearer disciplinary rules, heavier penalties, closer cooperation with police and stronger self-regulation by sports associations1.
Drafting began in October 2021, when the administration started work on the document, and in November it sought written opinions from the Ministry of Public Security, its own departments, project management centers, some national sports associations and local sports departments1. The Ministry of Public Security agreed to issue the notice jointly and proposed amendments1. The administration said the notice addresses problems including vague management rules, incomplete association regulations, unclear grounds for punishment and inappropriate penalty levels1.
The notice states that athletes, coaches and referees must sign a commitment not to take part in gambling or match-fixing when they register or join a team1. Anyone found to have done so may not be selected for teams at any level or the national team, and loses eligibility for all professional sports competitions1. Associations may impose penalties according to the seriousness of the case, including a written self-criticism, fines, orders to hand over gains, suspension of training allowances and performance pay, removal from the team, and bans up to a lifetime ban1. Where a professional league is involved, the league body, the club and directly responsible managers should also be punished1.
"对在国际赛事中打假球、利用内幕消息赌博的，一经查实，要给予终身禁赛处罚"
Police at all levels are told to work closely with sports departments, open investigations into gambling-related offenses, gather and secure evidence, and impose public security penalties or pursue criminal liability under law1. The notice also calls for tracing and dismantling the organizers, operators and beneficiaries of gambling crime and any behind-the-scenes protection1. Associations without a disciplinary committee must revise their statutes and establish one promptly, publish complaint phone numbers and email addresses, and improve whistleblower feedback systems1. Where management failures allow such conduct, or where violations are concealed, responsible personnel are to be held to account1.
What it means for players
The notice applies to athletes, coaches and referees inside China's sports system, not to ordinary bettors, and it does not change the legal status of gambling for the public. Its practical effect falls on people inside registered teams and competitions: signing the no-gambling commitment is now a condition of registration or joining a team, and a finding of gambling or match-fixing ends selection for any team and eligibility for professional competitions1. Penalties can reach a lifetime ban, and clubs and league bodies can be punished alongside individuals where a professional league is involved1. For anyone who bets on Chinese sports events, the notice signals closer police scrutiny of match-fixing and inside-information betting, including at international events1. It does not set out any new rules for consumers, and no changes to betting legality or to any licensed market are described in it1.
What happens next
Local sports departments, the administration's functional departments, project management centers and sports associations are to study and implement the notice, prevent and investigate violations, and hand suspected crimes to police1. The administration said it will carry out inspections and evaluations at an appropriate time to ensure the notice takes effect1. No dates for those checks have been reported1.
For background on how sports betting works across the region, see Sports Betting in Asia: How It Works, Bet Types, Odds and Where It Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions, and for the Chinese market see Can I Gamble in China?.
