 Newsletter Signup
Stay informed with the
NEW Casino City Times newsletter! |
Gaming News
China Bans Football Pager28 March 2002CHINA – As reported by the Sing Tao: "A paging company has been warned that a handheld device providing odds on football matches will be illegal under new gambling laws being drafted by legislators. "The warning follows Telecom Digital's introduction of its football odds and score service at $298 a month. "Although the company provides only odds and scores from football matches in Europe and the rest of the Asia, without any information on where punters can place bets, the government said yesterday that would soon become illegal. "…Under the bill, such gambling activities, whether they originate in Hong Kong or overseas, take place over the telephone or Internet, will be illegal. "For a first-year payment of $898, and a monthly fee of $298, Telecom Digital provides up-to-date odds, team rankings and form guides, including match analyses and scores, to subscribers. "The company said it would provide information on other sports such as basketball, tennis and horse racing at a later date. "…Police seized $20 million in bets on football matches last year. They also arrested 91 offenders. "…Approximately $20 billion is spent annually on offshore and local illegal football gambling, with an estimated 340,000 punters expected to bet during the forthcoming World Cup…" |