China's crackdown on Gambling led to punishment of 7,162 officials

A Chinese Central government report says that thousands of Communist Party and government officials have faced punishments for offenses linked to gambling since the middle of 2013 as part of the crackdown on corruption.
The report said 7,162 officials from more than 30 cities and provinces, with the most cases reported in east China's Zhejiang and Guangdong in the south — 1,575 in Zhejiang and 1,127 in Guangdong.
But details of the punishments were limited saying they ranged from warnings to administrative punishments. The crackdown on gambling by officials is a key part of the government's anti-corruption campaign.
The report said some officials were caught for taking bribes by being allowed to win at mahjong, a practice that was common according to an official with the commission for discipline inspection in southwest China's Guizhou Province. Winners would be able to pocket more than 100,000 yuan (US$16,300) from just one session, a Chinese newspaper report said.
A businessman cited by the newspaper had alleged some company owners would lose deliberately hoping they would receive preferential treatment in future. In turn, officials addicted to gambling would then steal public funds to meet gambling losses.
The report said that in May, Cong Jun, deputy director of Liuzhou's social security management office in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, was arrested over allegations he stole 3 million yuan from public funds to pay for bets on soccer.
Lu Shengle, finance office director in Guangxi's Liangjiang Town, was alleged to have embezzled 3.23 million yuan in public funds over four years to meet outstanding gambling debts. In south China's Hainan Province, numerous officials faced punishment for gambling during working hours.