Presidential Decree No. 111 promulgates the Futures and Derivatives Law

President Xi Jinping signed Presidential Decree No. 111 on 20 April 2022, promulgating the Futures and Derivatives Law of the People's Republic of China¹. The law was passed the same day by the 34th session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress and takes effect on 1 August 2022¹.

The decree was published by the State Council's official portal, which carried the text through the Xinhua news agency¹. The announcement gives the passage date, the promulgation date and the commencement date, and names the president as the signatory¹.

What it means for players

The decree covers futures and derivatives, a category of financial contracts rather than casino or sports betting products. The announcement does not mention gambling, casinos, lotteries, poker, online betting or any licensed wagering product, and it does not change the rules that apply to those activities¹. Nothing in the published text addresses how people in China may or may not place bets, so no change to the practical position of local players, expats or visitors follows from this decree as reported¹.

China's general prohibition on gambling sits in separate laws and regulations, which this decree does not amend on its face¹. Readers looking for the current position on what is legal in the country can consult the site's guide to gambling in China and the wider overview of gambling laws across Asia.

What happens next

The law enters into force on 1 August 2022¹. The announcement does not set out any further steps, implementing rules or transitional arrangements, and none have been reported in the text published with the decree¹.