"China Uses Article 303 to Crack Down on Land-Based and Online Gambling"
While the U.S. has clearly taken the position that Internet gambling
is illegal, with but a few exceptions, law enforcement agencies have
been rather lax about prosecuting offenders, at least they have been
lax compared to the Chinese government.
In China, efforts are underway to expand the
crackdown on all forms of gambling in China, be it land-based gambling
or gambling over the Internet. Players are targeted just as much as
casino operators too. Taking their legal authority from existing law,
Article 303, Chinese law enforcement agencies are growing increasingly
strict about enforcing the article’s provisions. Under Article
303, anyone who organizes three or more people and receives payments
of 5000 yuan (equal to approximately $600, US), or is involved in a
game where the stakes are over 50,000 yuan (approximately $6000 US)
is guilty of organized gambling and will be penalized. Punishment includes
up to three years in prison and severe fines. Organizing a group of
10 or more Chinese citizens for the purpose of gambling is also a violation
of Article 303 if the organizer receives a commission. Just as land-based
casino owners will be penalized, Internet casino site operators will
be penalized as well. Furthermore, anyone who assists an online casino
site will be considered an accomplice to the crime and is there for
subject to penalties and punishment too. Civil servants that are running
any type of gambling establishment and the operators that cater to
civil servants or minors should be particularly worried as Chinese
officials said that penalties for this group are especially harsh.
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