消息人士透露互聯網彩票有望年內重啓

Want to try your luck online? It seems that lady luck could soon be smiling as the government mulls lifting the ban on online lottery sales, said the business newspaper The Economic Observer quoting a source.

想要在網上試試你的運氣？經濟觀察報援引一來源的消息稱，隨着政府考慮解除對互聯網銷售彩票的禁令，幸運女神似乎馬上就會露出微笑。

According to the report, officials plan to launch new pilot programs this year to restart the sale of online lottery and held a seminar in January to discuss regulations. The paper quoted a source as saying authorities have a supportive attitude toward restarting online lottery sales.

根據該報道指出，官員計劃今年推出重啓互聯網銷售彩票的新試點項目，並已於今年1月舉行研討會討論管理辦法。消息人士稱，相關部門對重啓互聯網銷售彩票持支持態度。

Companies will not have to get approvals from authorities, the source said, but they must come through the qualifications checks from lottery issuers - the National Welfare Lottery Center and the National Sports Lottery Center.

消息人士還透露，企業將不必經過相關部門審批，但須通過彩票發行機構--國家福彩中心和體彩中心的資質審覈。

China has two State-run lotteries: Welfare lottery from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and sports lottery from the General Administration of Sport. The two authorities and the Ministry of Finance approve lottery sales across the country.

中國共有兩種國營彩票：民政部發行的福利彩票和體育總局發行的體育彩票。這兩個部門和財政部共同批准彩票在全國範圍內銷售。

In April last year, eight central government agencies banned online lottery sales, citing risks to lottery players' interests.

在去年4月份，中央八部門聯合發佈公告，嚴禁網上違規銷售彩票，並列舉了彩票玩家的利益風險。

Chinese internet giants are also expected to re-activate the online lottery sales business. In March, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd took a controlling stake in Hong Kong-listed lottery operator AGTech Holdings Ltd.

中國互聯網巨頭也有望重新激活在線彩票銷售業務。3月份，阿里巴巴集團控股有限公司剛剛收購了香港彩票行業的亞博科技控股有限公司。

No matter how many companies will be approved this year to sell lotteries online, they are only in pilot programs, the source added, and authorities should announce regulations on online lottery sales as soon as possible.

消息人士補充說道，不管有多少公司將於今年被批准在線銷售彩票，他們都只是試點方案。有關部門應儘快公佈關於網上彩票銷售的規定。