Chinese law enforcement authorities are reportedly set to step up efforts at combating illegal cross-border online gambling as well as the underground banks and payment platforms that allow aficionados in the giant nation to illicitly fund their games.

Definitive declaration:

According to a report, the revelation came as part of an official statement released earlier today by China’s embassy in the Philippines and included a pledge that authorities would also endeavor to ‘wipe out domestic network operators and companies that provide technical support for such crimes.’

Offshore offensive:

GGRAsia reported that online gambling is banned across the whole of China while the enclave of Macau is the only domestic location where players can enjoy land-based casino action. But, the past few years have seen a raft of iGaming operations specifically catering to a Chinese clientele spring up in neighboring nations including the Philippines, which has seriously angered authorities in Beijing.

The official statement reportedly read…

“The Chinese government attaches great importance to the crackdown on cross-border gambling activities. The Ministry of Public Security of China has taken many actions and will carry out more special operations aimed at preventing and combating cross-border gambling. China will focus on investigating and cracking some major cases, including those of organizing gambling overseas and opening online gaming and will destroy networks of criminal organizations involved in recruiting gamblers from China by overseas casinos and using the Internet to open casinos in China.”

Philippines prominence:

Pointing a finger squarely at Manila, the statement reportedly moreover detailed that this nation’s hosting of a vast number of China-facing online casinos had ‘severely affected’ its own interests and had undermined its ‘financial supervision and financial security’. It purportedly asked the smaller nation to support its efforts by cracking down on gambling-related crimes such as money laundering and the illicit employment of Chinese nationals.

Reportedly read the official statement…

“The fact that a large number of Chinese citizens are lured into illegal gambling has resulted in an increase of crimes and social problems in China. In particular, some gambling crimes and telecom frauds are closely connected, which has caused huge losses to the victims and their families.”

Worker worries:

The statement furthermore expressed ‘grave concerns’ over a plan from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCor) regulator that would see all Chinese nationals employed by such online gaming enterprises relocated to ‘self-contained’ communities situated well away from the local population.

The official statement reportedly read…

“The Chinese embassy expresses its grave concerns over such a potential move by PAGCor, which may infringe on the basic legal rights of the Chinese citizens concerned, and strongly urges the Philippines government to effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in the Philippines.”