The revenue from the Welfare Lottery in China decreased by 24.5% to CNY144.48bn. Numbers lotteries contributed the majority of this revenue, bringing in CNY122.14bn, a 7.5% decrease from the previous year. Instant win games showed more resilience with a decrease of just 2.1% and revenue of CNY14.64bn. Keno revenue increased to CNY910.9m despite the pandemic. However, video lottery revenue significantly declined by 84.8% to CNY679.3m due to extended closures.
In the case of the Sports Lottery, revenue fell by 17.9% to CNY189.64bn. Numbers games accounted for the majority of revenue, increasing by 4.7% to CNY99.77bn. Sales from sports betting decreased by 38.6% to CNY74.92bn. Instant win games, on the other hand, experienced an 8.7% increase in sales, totaling CNY14.77bn. Video sports lotteries, which contribute minimally to total sales, saw a 38.9% decline to CNY1.5m, primarily due to the closure of sales outlets in the first half of the year to prevent the spread of the virus.
In December, total revenue reached CNY36.51bn, the highest monthly total of the year despite an 11.8% decrease. Welfare Lottery sales amounted to CNY15.27bn, while Sports Lottery sales reached CNY18.95bn. Numbers games were the leading contributor for both lotteries, with the Welfare Lottery generating CNY13.38bn and the Sports Lottery generating CNY9.92bn. The Keno vertical recorded a record revenue of CNY427.5m. However, video lottery terminals remained closed and produced no sales. For the Sports Lottery, sports betting sales amounted to CNY9.79bn, followed closely by instant win games with CNY1.65bn. Video lottery sales amounted to only CNY140,000.
Lotteries in China are undergoing significant changes as the government announced in October 2020 that high-frequency or quick-draw games will soon no longer be sold. Starting from 1 November 2020, provincial lotteries have been limited to offering only one high-frequency game, and these games will be completely withdrawn after the New Year holiday in February.
