World Cup Boosts Online Sports Lottery Sales In China, Taiwan

Sales for China's "official sports lottery betting on the World Cup in Brazil" are expected to exceed $2.43B, "five times higher than the sales reported during the last World Cup in South Africa in 2010," according to Hsieh Ai-chu of the WANT CHINA TIMES. The authorities who run the lottery, "the only legal form of gambling in the country, say ticket sales on the opening day of the month-long tournament" surpassed $24.2M, and sales of $645M were reported "during the event's first nine days, much higher than the total sales" of $370M for the whole of the last World Cup. Of all the bets, 70% were placed online, which consultant Li Jian said makes the Internet the "most popular platform for the sports lottery" (WANT CHINA TIMES, 7/14). The CNA reported the Taiwan Sports Lottery has generated $80.13M in sales from the World Cup. The total sales from the World Cup this year were "around three times as much as the last World Cup four years ago." The final alone "brought in sales" of NT$430M ($14.3M) (CNA, 7/14).