According to data recently released by China's Ministry of Finance, national lottery sales in June reached 75.978 billion yuan (approximately 1.76 trillion yen), a 39.5% increase year-on-year. Of this total, sales of sports lotteries increased by 62.9% to 59.221 billion yuan (approximately 1.4 trillion yen), and sports promotion lotteries (prediction-type sports lotteries) increased by 96% to 47.675 billion yuan (approximately 1.105 trillion yen). The FIFA World Cup 2026 North America tournament, held from June 12 to July 20, drove the increase in sales. According to statistics from private institutions, this marked a new historical high for single-month sales volume.

One of the purposes of issuing lotteries in China is fundraising. Since the nationwide issuance of sports lotteries in 1994, over the 30 years until 2024, a cumulative total of over 800 billion yuan (approximately 18.5 trillion yen) in public welfare funds has been collected. These public welfare funds are mainly used to support sports projects and social welfare projects.

In the sports sector, public welfare funds are utilized for promoting competitive sports, such as building training bases for national teams and fostering athletes. Furthermore, they are also allocated to promoting sports activities for citizens, fostering the overall health of the nation, improving fitness facilities for residents, supporting events like the "Cun Chao" rural football tournament, and developing sports infrastructure in border regions.

In terms of social welfare, a wide range of fields are supported, including education assistance, elder care, medical assistance, and supplementing social security funds. According to public information from China's Ministry of Finance, from 2013 to 2022, a cumulative total of over 10.1 billion yuan (approximately 234.0473 billion yen) in public welfare funds was invested in public services for the elderly. Additionally, over 400 billion yuan (approximately 9.3 trillion yen) has been injected into social security funds.

On the other hand, the growth of China's lottery sales revenue has generally slowed down, with the growth rate decreasing from January to May this year. Due to the driving effect of the World Cup, sales revenue in the first half of the year saw a slight increase of 2.8% year-on-year.

Analysts point out that Chinese lotteries have few types, and the age gap among purchasers is becoming increasingly noticeable year by year. Among young people, entertainment with game-like elements, such as blind boxes (randomized products), is increasing, and the appeal of lotteries to the younger generation is expected to further decline. After the conclusion of major sports events, whether the Chinese lottery market can maintain its momentum continues to be a focus of attention. (Source/CGTN Japanese)