Mainland China's state-run lottery programs generated $89.7bn in ticket sales during 2025, marking a new annual record. The figures were reported by the Ministry of Finance, highlighting continued consumer spending despite a nationwide ban on commercial gambling.
The China Sports Lottery accounted for $59.9bn in revenue, reflecting a 0.9 percent year-over-year increase. The China Welfare Lottery contributed $29.8bn, rising by 0.3 percent over the same period. Scratch cards emerged as the fastest-growing category, climbing 13 percent to $18.7bn.
Sports prediction games remained the largest segment, generating $39.7bn in sales.
Overall market expansion decelerated, dropping from a 7.6 percent growth rate in 2024 to 0.7 percent in 2025. Sales during December alone declined by 9.1 percent compared to the previous year, indicating a slowdown in consumer activity toward the end of the fiscal period.