China’s lottery ticket sales increased by 19.8 percent year-on-year in May, reaching approximately RMB57 billion ($7.95 billion), according to data from the Ministry of Finance released on Wednesday.
The ministry attributed this growth to two main factors: a low sales base during the same period last year and an uptick in sports events in May, which drove higher sales of sports lottery tickets.
Sales of lottery tickets that support the country’s welfare system amounted to about RMB18.53 billion ($2.61 billion) last month, reflecting an 8.6 percent increase from the previous year.
Sales of sports lottery tickets surged by 26 percent year-on-year, totaling RMB38.51 billion ($5.44 billion) in May.
From January to May, total lottery ticket sales across the country reached RMB263.37 billion ($37.06 billion), marking a 4.3 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
According to China’s lottery management regulations, funds generated from ticket sales are used to cover administrative costs, support public welfare initiatives, and fund prizes.
