Data from the Ministry of Finance indicates that in June, China’s monthly lottery sales fell to RMB 33.8 billion (US$5 billion), a year-on-year decrease of 0.3 percent, according to Asia Gaming Brief.

A significant increase, however, was seen in welfare lottery ticket sales in June at RMB 17.8 billion, a year-on year increase of 8.8 percent. In the first half of the year, sales of welfare lottery tickets increased to RMB 106.1 billion, a 3.7 percent year-on-year hike.

Meanwhile, the sale of sports lottery tickets decreased by 8.9 percent year-on-year to RMB 16 billion and during the first six months of the year, they rose 7.6 percent to RMB 98.9 billion, according to the Ministry.

The news agency reports that growth in lottery sales was seen in 16 provinces last month, including Shaanxi, Tibet, Jiangxi, Henan and Chongqing. The results of which signified an increase in lottery sales for the first half of 2017, which reached RMB 205 billion, and year-on-year growth of 5.5 percent. The results meant an increase in lottery sales for the first six months of 2017, reaching RMB 205 billion, and growth of 5.5 percent year-on-year, as reported by Asia Gaming Brief.

Last month’s results were slightly lower than in May when total sales came in at RMB 37.70 billion or $5.51 billion US dollars, which when compared to April, was a decrease of 1.4 percent but still an increase in year-on-year numbers.

Earlier this month saw local logistics firm SF Express partner with Hong Kong-listed AGTech Holdings Limited in order to launch SF Lottery, an instant scratchcard lottery product, in four Chinese provinces.