China to give away free lotto tickets to newlyweds

A new project in the northwest Chinese city of Xi’an has arisen in response to the country’s demographic problems, which include aging populations and falling birth rates.

This project aims to thank and congratulate newlyweds while giving them the opportunity to feel fortunate. It is unique to the nation and entails providing newlyweds with complimentary scratch-off lottery tickets.

According to local news reports, the program began on November 30, 2024, and will continue until the end of time. The municipal authorities have allocated around 700,000 yuan ($97,000) for it. By showing their marriage license, those who were married during this period are eligible to get free scratch-off lottery tickets.

This symbolic deed wishes the newlyweds all the best and hopes to promote more marriages and family flourishing. It is a part of a larger national effort in China to address issues associated with the low birth rate and recent drop in marriage rates in the nation. Couples who get free lottery tickets also have the opportunity to win a substantial sum of money that will benefit them in the future.

While programs like the one in Xi’an have the potential to address the issue of falling marriage rates and spur population development, it is important to assess how free scratch-off tickets affect newlyweds. It remains to be seen whether other Chinese cities, seeing the result of the Xi’an campaign, would follow suit.

Notably, this project is unparalleled in China given that country’s stringent gaming regulations. Lotteries are recognized as legitimate forms of entertainment in China, despite the country’s prohibitions on casinos, poker, and internet gambling.

Despite China’s stringent anti-illegal gambling laws, the nation nonetheless hosts illicit lotteries, betting rings, and unlicensed iGaming websites and apps. Macau is the only section of China where gambling is permitted. It draws visitors who are at least 21 years old to participate in a variety of authorized gaming activities.

Original story by: Gambling News