Liaoning reports 2,899 cross-border gambling criminal cases for 2023

Liaoning provincial police handled 2,899 cross-border gambling criminal cases in 2023, arrested 5,568 suspects and seized or froze more than RMB 300 million in involved funds, the provincial public security department said at a press conference in Shenyang on December 26¹. The three figures rose 231 percent, 124 percent and 41 percent respectively year on year, and 3,102 people were transferred for prosecution, up 76 percent¹.

The department said the numbers followed a "Peace Escort" special operation launched on June 1¹.

Two cases were singled out. In June, Benxi city police broke up what the department described as a long-hidden criminal operation, the province's first major online cross-border gambling case involving combined pornography and gambling¹.

At the same briefing, officials set out the penalties. Providing internet access, server hosting, advertising, member recruitment, software development, technical support or payment settlement for a known gambling site is treated as joint commission of the crime of running a gambling house¹.

What it means for players

The figures cover enforcement inside Liaoning, but the conduct described is not limited by province. Chinese citizens who bet on cross-border sites, and the agents and payment intermediaries who serve them, fall under the same national laws cited at the briefing¹. The Tieling case shows recruitment networks reaching 30 provinces, so a player's location inside China does not by itself place them outside the reach of a case¹. The penalties described distinguish between casual participants, who face administrative punishment, and organizers, agents and technical or payment providers, who face criminal liability¹. The briefing also warned that renting, lending or selling ID cards, bank cards, WeChat or Alipay accounts can expose the holder to credit and legal risk¹. For visitors and expats, the enforcement described concerns gambling connected to mainland China; the briefing did not address how foreign nationals are treated, and that has not been reported¹.

What happens next

The department said it will maintain a high-pressure stance against cross-border gambling, continue comprehensive governance with industry regulators, and keep working to protect economic security, social stability and the rights of the public¹. No further dates or targets were given¹.

For context on how such cases are handled, see what happens to Chinese citizens who gamble on cross-border sites and whether players have been arrested for online gambling in Asia. Background on crackdowns on offshore online gambling hubs in Asia and on gambling laws across 12 jurisdictions is also available, along with whether you can gamble in China.