 Newsletter Signup
Stay informed with the
NEW Casino City Times newsletter! |
Gaming News
Fears for China Lottery Addicts3 January 2001SHANGHAI, China – Jan. 3, 2001—As reported by the BBC: "Mental health experts in the Chinese city of Shanghai say they are treating a growing number of people for addiction to the city's lotteries. "Shanghai's 15m people buy 43m lottery tickets each month. "…China's National Sports and Welfare lotteries have become major money-spinners for the government in recent years. "In Shanghai, at least half the population say they have bought lottery tickets at some time and doctors now say some people can't stop thinking about winning. "The Shanghai Daily newspaper said at least 12 people were currently being treated at the city's mental health centre for lottery addiction. "…New Year's lotteries are now common in many Chinese cities, drawing huge crowds with prizes ranging from large sums of cash to trailer-loads of cars. "Experts say mass redundancies have contributed to the popularity of lotteries and with many numbers seen as possessing auspicious qualities in Chinese tradition, the habit is proving hard to break, particularly as other forms of gambling are technically illegal in China." |