China Continues Online Casino Block With New Rules

Online casinos will find China's market tougher than ever to enter, as a new edict forbids domestic operators taking on foreign investors in online gaming, even to the point of disallowing technical support.

China is using the simmering feud with the US to expand the regulations barring online casinos access to the country's residents. According to the Wall Street Journal, China is no longer allowing even foreign investment in the nation's Internet gaming market, let alone foreign operators representing online gambling.

The General Administration of Press and Publication, which oversees Internet content in China, will no longer permit foreign owned companies, joint ventures with domestic operators, or cooperatives to offer services in the online gaming field. This includes technical support, customer service, and contracting duties.

Chinese officials say the latest pronouncement is intended to reduce and control illegal or "unhealthy" Internet content. But it certainly shows a willingness to respond to US moves to counter protectionism with a further tightening of the net.

The administration will require that all online gaming operators register with it, and it would need to approve any games before they are made available online. This is not only to prevent online gambling, but also part of an edict forbidding games celebrating or featuring gang-related themes.

The general administration will work with the Ministry of Culture to control Internet access, block online casinos and other  illegal content, and rule on the availability of Internet operations.