The Best China Online Casinos in 2023
China, a country well-known for its gaming appetite is constantly amending policies in regards to online gambling. For the most up-to-date information on China casinos, read on. If you’re browsing from another location, why not look at our Casinos by Country page.
- Top China Casinos
- China: Online Gambling Legal Landscape
- How To Gamble Online at a China Casino
- Registering at an Online China Casino
- Potential Issues for Players
- Accepted Payment Methods
- Best Bonuses at China Casinos
- Games Available From a China Casino
- China & Responsible Gambling
- The Future of Online Gambling in China
- The Chinese and Gambling
- Best Online Casinos China FAQs
Top China Casinos
- Crypto casino
- Increased privacy
- Generous welcome offer
- Accepts crypto via CoinsPaid
- Game of the week
- SpinBooster
- Specialist China-facing operator
- Traditional and simplified Chinese language options
- A wealth of ongoing promotions
- Chinese language options
- Dedicated Chinese-speaking support staff
- Varied promotions
- Accepts players from China
- Website available in Chinese
- 1,000s of games
- Accepts players from China
- 24/7 customer support
- Instant withdrawals & deposits
China: Online Gambling Legal Landscape
Let’s be 100% clear about this. Gambling in mainland China is illegal. Period. Since the CCP (China Communist Party) came into power back in 1949, only state-run lotteries have been permitted to operate and under strict guidelines. An exception to the rule is the outlying SARs (Special Administrative Regions) of Hong Kong and Macau.
According to state-owned news outlet Xinhua, online gambling is thought to generate an estimated one trillion yuan per year (around $145 billion) in online wagers placed by mainland residents.
Should a player be found guilty in participating in online gambling in mainland China, they could face a fine and/or imprisonment.
While this may be more of a deterrent to operators rather than the players themselves, players should be aware of the potential risks involved in online gambling in China. Although it seems there has been very little activity from the Chinese authorities when it comes to prosecuting players, China is a country as complicated as it is large, and policies can change very, very quickly.
If you’re a foreigner living in China, after prosecution you could also face being blacklisted from the country and barred entry for up to 10 years.
Online Gambling in Hong Kong and Macau
Hong Kong and Macau are entitled to a more welcoming gambling legal landscape. In Hong Kong, wagers may be placed at officially licensed premises and online casinos but any betting outside of these restrictions could result in prosecution.
Macau, seen by many as the Las Vegas of Asia, is the most prolific gambling region on the globe. Online gambling laws are not clearly defined in this former Portuguese colony, so there are no legitimate online casinos operating from Macau.
How To Gamble Online at a China Casino
So, you’ve done your homework and still fancy having a crack on the tables from an online casino in the country. Some of the best online casinos out there are ready and waiting for you to sign up, noting the lucrative market that the Chinese mainland makes up.
So, how do you find online casinos in China? It can be easier said than done. With sites such as Google, affiliate pages and YouTube already blocked, finding a casino could be the biggest hurdle you will face before you begin your online casino story.
A VPN will be incredibly useful in finding an online casino in China, although not playing on it (more on this in a bit).
Registering at an Online China Casino
Once you’ve found a site that you like the look of, your next step will be to register with this casino. Be aware that Gmail is blocked in China, so unless you’re using a VPN to access your email, you will not be able to verify using a Gmail account. It’s better to use a different email account as you really don’t want to miss out on any promotional activities that may come your way.
Proof of address, a form of ID (passport or driving license) will normally be required by casinos operating from the UK and Europe. This is due in part to the casinos not wanting you to have duplicate accounts and taking unfair advantage of bonus offers, and also to verify your age. Any delays in submitting requested documents could result in you not having access to winnings, or even being allowed to play on the site as a whole. Frustrating stuff, so it’s wise to get all your documentation ready before you begin the registration process.
VPN Use for Online Casinos in China
The rather sensationalist term coined by the Western press, “The Great Firewall of China” blocks certain websites from operating in China. Facebook, Youtube, Google (including Gmail), Instagram and WhatsApp are all blocked, although these can be sidestepped with a good VPN.
Unfortunately, playing at online casinos with a VPN is not a viable option. Casino operators themselves block registering with a VPN to safeguard against multiple accounts, bonus abuse, identity fraud, money laundering and terrorism financing. If you were hoping to use a VPN to protect your identity while playing at online casinos in China, unfortunately this is not possible.
VPN sites, as well as other sites are regularly blocked by Beijing, so even if you did have a top-of-the-range VPN, the chances that it may be blocked are still very high. If you do still want to try your luck with a VPN, we have the lowdown of the very best VPNs on the market
Potential Issues for Players
Apart from facing a hefty fine and doing time in a Chinese prison, there are other factors players should consider before playing at online casinos in the country. These include:
- Deportation.
- Putting future China visas in jeopardy.
- Loss of access to funds.
- Blocking of payment methods.
Gambling Online in China: How Risky Really Is it?
The Chinese government is more concerned about holding operators to rights, rather than individuals. Casinos operating illegally in the SARs are at particular risk with 2020 alone seeing over 11,500 arrests made.
Foreign operators fall outside of China’s jurisdiction so there’s little likelihood that these will ever be prosecuted. One thing that casinos accepting Chinese players need to do is make their players aware of the possible risks they are facing when they do engage in online gambling from restricted countries. Sadly, this has yet to be done.
Accepted Payment Methods
There are two things that you should bear in mind when depositing at an online China casino:
- Anonymity
- Convenience
Not all of the best casino deposit methods offer this, but there are some that do.
E-wallets are a great way to protect your privacy as well as being super convenient. Skrill, Payz, NETELLER, PayPal and Siru are some of the biggest e-wallets at casinos that facilitate speedy online transfer of funds as well as giving players an added layer of encryption.
If anonymity is your primary concern, cryptocurrency casinos are a great alternative. Litecoin casinos, Tron gaming sites, Bitcoin gaming sites, Dogecoin gambling sites and Ethereum gambling sites are some casinos that allow you to make 100% completely anonymous deposits and withdrawals at online casinos.
Casinos that accept RMB are on the rise and players can choose from options that include domestic Chinese cards such as Union Pay, eWallets like AliPay and WeChat Pay.
Remember, though, that certain payment methods will not give you access to some of the best online casino bonuses.
Best Bonuses at China Casinos
| BEST CASINO OFFERS | CASINO | PROMOTION |
|---|---|---|
| Best Welcome Bonus in Chinese Yuan renminbi | 1xBet | 11,000 CNY + 150 FS |
| Best China High-Roller Bonus | bitStarz | Up To 5BTC + 180 Free Spins |
| Best Crypto Welcome Bonus for Chinese Players | bitStarz | Up To 5BTC + 180 Free Spins |
| Best Free Spins Bonus at China Online Casino | Casino Friday! | €500 + 200 Free Spins |
| Best Cashback Bonus for Chinese Players | Bitcasino.io | 20% Cashback Up To 25,000USDT |
| Best Loyalty Programme for Chinese Players | Tsars | Daily Rewards |
Games Available From a China Casino
As games are chosen by operator, rather than region, you can find many real-money casino games, including blackjack, roulette and casino poker variants. If you wish to dip your toes in games that are popular with Chinese players you could give keno and baccarat a whirl. Asian casino games have always been popular among online casino players; from Sic bo to Pai Gow poker to Mahjong – you can take a gamified tour of China, passport-free from your sofa.
China & Responsible Gambling
As gambling is outlawed in China, support for those that experience mental health issues such as compulsive gambling and addiction are sadly severely limited. This is where international operators unfortunately let China residents down. To operate illegally in a country is one thing but to also allow gambling to go unchecked, without any kind of domestic support is downright inhumane and grossly irresponsible.
The smart way to gamble is to choose an MGA, a Curacao, or an Alderney licensed casino with built-in protection and features for vulnerable players. Time outs, self-exclusion and reminders for how long you are playing are features to keep an eye out for when shopping around for a casino.
The Future of Online Gambling in China
Chinese gambling policies can change at the drop of a hat. Currently, the control the Chinese government has over foreign websites is only becoming stricter and with no white flags for casino operators on the horizon.
As a player, it’s entirely feasible for the authorities to block a site without warning, and for you to have no access to your account balance, which can be more than just a little frustrating. Always keep in mind that this could happen, and at any time. If you’re looking to wager serious amounts of cash, perhaps China is not the safest location to do this in.
The Chinese and Gambling
Mahjong, chess, cards, dice, go, dominoes – the list goes on. China has a rich history of playing games of chance and skill for thousands of years, and often played for cash stakes. A stroll down any street in China will reveal that the Chinese enthusiasm for gambling has persevered through the ages.
A nationality often synonymous with gambling, why is it that western casinos are often filled with this East Asian nationality? As a croupier working in Manchester’s Chinatown, myself and some of the local Chinese players would chew the fat when the tables were quiet. “Why is it that so many players are Chinese?”, I once asked. The answer came back almost in unison: “shift work”.
While daytimes see the older generation of Chinese players come to socialise and chat – mostly Cantonese players that hail from the South East – night time players at the casino range from overseas Chinese students to British-born Chinese people to high rollers filling the salon rooms.
So, work times, a historic link with wagering on games and the social aspect are a few of the reasons why the Chinese and gambling are inextricably linked. Good news for online casinos and the reason why a growing number are now facilitating Chinese-language options, including customer support for Chinese players at the best China casino.
Best Online Casinos China FAQs
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Some casinos exempt China residents from receiving bonuses. Also, your method of payment needs to be taken into account; some e-wallets such as NETELLER and Skrill are also not eligible for sign-up bonuses.
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At the time of publishing, only 888 Casino and bet365 can facilitate deposits and withdrawals in RMB but that could always change in the future. Watch this space for further developments.
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Although not explicitly stipulated, you could be facing a prison sentence and a fine if caught gambling online in China.
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The best method is one which meets your expectations as to how a payment method should perform. For some people, anonymity is a key factor and therefore cryptocurrencies are the smartest choice. Others value convenience so direct transfers from banks are their best avenue. For both security and convenience, eWallets are optimum.
Iggy Fenech
