Over 900 arrested so far in Chinese crackdown

Chinese authorities' stated intent to crack down online gambling a couple of weeks back was definitely not rhetoric.

Already the crackdown has resulted in 918 arrests and it is barely 2 weeks old! At the start of February, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security ('MPS') announced it would begin a 7 month campaign to rid the country of online gambling which it claimed was seriously disturbing Chinese social and economic order.

A number of government agencies were to be involved in a coordinated operation to prosecute both operators and payment processors.

According to an official from within the MPS, and as reported at xinhuanet.com in the 13 days to 20 February already 210 operations had been cracked, resulting in 918 arrests. A further 351 people had been punished from being involved in activities deemed 'less severe'.

No further details surrounding specific charges, punishment or who the offenders were was given. There are no indications that any of the arrests related to connections with foreign online gambling operators.