Life of Guangzhou - Gamblers' Good Deal

CHINESE lottery players are being given a special mention for their 34.4-billion-yuan (US$4.9 billion) contribution for the public good last year, according to yesterday's The Beijing News.

Chinese lottery buyers made the largest contribution to the public welfare fund collection, exceeding the country's individual and business donations, which totaled 22.3 billion yuan in 2007, according to the China Association of Social Workers under the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The association put the lottery buyers, together with 149 philanthropists and 325 businesses, into its annual charity ranking list.

The philanthropists and businesses donated 1.7 billion yuan and 5.5 billion yuan, respectively. In 2007, China's lottery sales reached 101.7 billion yuan, an increase of 18 billion yuan or 20 percent over 2006. In China, at least 35 percent of the takings must go to charity. For every 2 yuan lottery ticket, 70 cents is spent on public welfare.

Lotteries have given more than 150 billion yuan to the public welfare fund.

[More China News]