Three departments, including the Ministry of Finance ("MOF"), have recently issued the Circular on Enhancing Administration of Prize Offering and Promotional Campaigns for High-frequency Lottery Games (the "Circular").
The Circular expressly states that, beginning from January 16, 2019, the offering of prizes in any form will be suspended. For an ongoing campaign of offering prizes, it is required to release a timely announcement for adjustments, and the prize offering may continue for a period of up to five days and shall cease immediately after the end of such period; if the amount of funds previously set aside for prizes offered is surplus, after the lottery drawing in which prizes are offered for the last time, such prize offering shall not continue in the next drawing. Where a prize offering campaign has been publicly announced but not yet started, an announcement shall be made in a timely manner to cancel the campaign. Furthermore, the Circular reads that, from January 16, 2019, promotional activities in any form will be suspended. And lottery issuance agencies shall improve the unified administration, organization and coordination.