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7162 Chinese government officials from more than 30 cities have been punished for offenses stemming from illegal gambling activities since the middle of 2013. East China’s Zhejiang and Guangdong in the south have reported the most cases, according to the Shanghai Daily.
The government began publicly shaming officials earlier this year for offenses that include gambling online while at work, abusing business cars, embezzlement and drinking alcoholic beverages during the day. Some of these officials were accused of accepting bribes in exchange for wins at the gambling game Mahjong.
Punishments ranged from warnings to undisclosed administrative punishments.
One businessman quoted by the newspaper said some company owners would lose deliberately in the hope they would be afforded preferential treatment in future.
One official, identified only by the surname Jin,is being investigated over claims he has debts of more than 4 million yuan from gambling in Macau, according to the paper.
The probe was launched after Jin, with his 79-year-old mother in the car, drove to the gates of the town’s government office building on September 26 and set fire to the vehicle in an apparent suicide attempt.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
