Cross-provincial WeChat gambling operations were dismantled by authorities in Taizhou
In a significant crackdown on illegal online gambling activities, police in Taizhou, Zhejiang have arrested over 40 suspects, including the alleged mastermind of the operation, a 39-year-old man named Ma. The operation, which involved around 1 billion yuan ($139 million) and nearly 1,000 participants nationwide, was using the popular social media platform WeChat to facilitate betting.
The gambling operation, which was under investigation, used the traditional "Na Liuming" gambling method and the games were livestreamed from locations in Sichuan and Hubei provinces. Participants engaged in betting and financial transactions through online transfers.
The tip received in August of the previous year led to the establishment of a task force to investigate Ma. As of February 20, Ma and 21 accomplices were apprehended. The seizure included numerous computers, mobile phones, bank cards, and luxury cars.
The profits from the illegal gambling activities were used to acquire luxury items. This case is not an isolated incident, as China's Supreme People's Procuratorate reported the prosecution of approximately 16,000 individuals for online gambling offenses from January to November 2023.
While online gambling specifically using WeChat groups in China is not broadly detailed in official mainstream reports on gaming or WeChat usage, Chinese authorities have long treated such activities as illegal and subject to strict enforcement. The legal framework is strict, and suspects face harsh penalties including arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment if caught.
Online gambling is classified as a criminal offense, and suspects caught organizing or promoting it face criminal charges including illegal gambling and related offenses, arrest and detention by police, possible imprisonment and fines depending on the scale of the operation, confiscation of illegal proceeds and equipment supporting the gambling activities, blacklisting or social credit penalties restricting future activities, and more.
Despite the prevalence of legal online gaming on WeChat mini-programs, which generates significant revenues, the authorities have been active in cracking down on such illegal online gambling networks, especially those operating through social media platforms like WeChat groups. Enforcement efforts often target group administrators and promoters who facilitate betting or gambling schemes within WeChat groups.
For more focused information on police cases or governmental reports about WeChat-based gambling arrests, specialized legal or security sources from China would have more detailed case studies.
[1] WeChat monthly active users data from Statista, accessed March 2023. [2] WeChat mini-program game revenue data from China Internet Network Information Centre, accessed March 2023.
- The crackdown on illegal gambling activities revealed a massive operation using WeChat, involving over 40 suspects and nearly 1,000 participants nationwide, with a focus on casino-games like Na Liuming, and transactions for lotteries.
- The arrest of the alleged mastermind, Ma, by police in Taizhou, Zhejiang is indicative of the ongoing enforcement against gambling trends such as online gambling, particularly in WeChat groups, which pose a challenge for general-news and crime-and-justice sectors.
- In line with the general crackdown on unlawful gambling activities, the authorities have reported the prosecution of thousands of individuals, including Ma, for casino-and-gambling offenses on WeChat, raising concerns about its appropriation as a platform for such activities.
