China’s lottery sales declined in the first quarter of 2026, with total sales falling 3.1 percent year-on-year to RMB1.44 trillion ($211.1 billion), according to data released by the Ministry of Finance.
The decline was primarily attributed to reduced sports-related events, which weighed on the performance of sports betting products.
Between January and March, welfare lottery sales dropped 5.6 percent year-on-year to RMB484.03 billion ($71 billion), while sports lottery sales edged down 1.8 percent to RMB955.57 billion ($140.1 billion). Sports lottery products remained the dominant segment, accounting for the majority of total sales despite the contraction.
Breaking down by product type, number-based lottery sales reached RMB395.48 billion ($58 billion) in the first quarter, down 5.1 percent year-on-year. Sports betting lottery sales totaled RMB625.14 billion ($91.7 billion), declining 2.8 percent, while instant ticket sales fell 1.5 percent to RMB329.87 billion ($48.4 billion). Keno-type lottery sales decreased 2.7 percent to RMB89.08 billion ($13.1 billion).
Collectively, sports betting lottery products accounted for 43.4 percent of total sales, followed by number-based products at 27.5 percent and instant tickets at 22.9 percent.
In March alone, total lottery sales stood at RMB544.00 billion ($79.8 billion), representing a 6.6 percent year-on-year decrease. Welfare lottery sales fell 3.9 percent to RMB184.49 billion ($27.1 billion), while sports lottery sales declined 7.9 percent to RMB359.51 billion ($52.7 billion).
By category, sports betting lottery sales recorded the sharpest decline in March, falling 8.8 percent year-on-year to RMB237.21 billion ($34.8 billion). Number-based lottery sales dropped 6.8 percent to RMB156.79 billion ($23 billion), while instant ticket sales and Keno-type sales decreased by 1.5 percent and 5.8 percent, respectively.
The Ministry of Finance said the decline in March was largely due to a reduction in major sporting events, which led to lower demand for sports betting lottery products.
