Shanghai Worried About Online Gambling

Published: Friday, March 18, 2005 Online-Casinos.com

SHANGHAI PROSECUTORS WORRIED ABOUT INCREASE IN ONLINE GAMBLING

Thirty five percent increase in convictions

The Shanghai Daily news has reported that about 35 percent of gambling convictions issued in the city this year have concerned Internet betting, the Shanghai People's Prosecutors' Office revealed this week.

"Compared to traditional gambling, online gambling costs less and is more difficult to detect," said Zhu Bochen, a spokesman for the office. "The trend has developed quickly in recent years."

Most online cases involve soccer gambling. Because of its convenience and high profit, it has attracted many gamblers, prosecutors said. So far this year, city prosecutors have charged 56 people in 17 gambling cases. These include traditional gambling games such as cards.

Giving examples, the official said that last year, a resident surnamed Hu was charged with organising online soccer betting by the Yangpu District Prosecutors' Office. In 2004, the man applied to set up the local agency for a Taiwan-based gambling firm which operated the Baoying Website. After Hu got the user name and code, he hired unemployed residents to recruit gamblers.

"They were handling 5,150 bets which added up to 4.74 million yuan (US$573,000) in several months," Zhu said. The gang earned 140,000 yuan in profit.

"Such (Internet) gambling is not restricted by time and space," said Zhu. "Gamblers can contact the agency through the Internet or by telephone at any time."

Prosecutors pointed out an agency can earn much more online than that of traditional gambling. The attraction has lured many to take the risk.
On February 24, 2004, the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People's Court sentenced an online gambling gang to prison. The leader, Feng Zaisheng, a Taiwan native, was sentenced 2 1/2 years in jail. He was the first to be convicted of online gambling charges in the city.

Prosecutors also said gambling gangs were becoming better organised. Individual members usually had their own tasks, such as receiving money, keeping records or contacting gamblers.