Chinese government coming down on 'gambling content'

Any many countries across the world illicit gambling comes in the form of an innocuous looking machine that sits in the back corner of the local bodega, pub, or social club. These devices usually track the credits a player earns, which are then cashed in and paid out of the cash register.
The degree to which these stealth gambling devices are tolerated varies greatly from country to country and month to month. But when it’s time for a government crackdown on illegal gambling, these guys are usually the first to get hit. That’s why illicit gambling operators in China are taking careful notice of a recently posted notice from China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism warning against the proliferation of certain types of black market gambling.
The notice, which was first published earlier this month, warns operators against the us of “disguised functions” in gaming devices, especially those that allow players to turn their video credits into hard cash. Authorities also specified the use of steel balls, which are the common currency for pachinko machines.
Authorities also warned of the dangers of loot boxes; reiterated rules against certain types of video games; and cautioned operators of claw games to post accurate odds outside of their machines.
Regulated gambling is almost non-existent in China outside of a couple of state-run lotteries and a smattering of virtual sports games that are run by the same agency that runs the lottery. That agency is also responsible for regulating arcade games across the Chinese mainland.