China Lottery Sales Surge 27.3% In September As Sports Betting Drives Growth

China's lottery sales increased by 27.3% year-on-year in September 2026, reaching RMB67.39 billion ($10.04 billion), according to figures published by the country's Ministry of Finance.

The total represented an increase of RMB15.33 billion ($2.28 billion) compared with September 2025, with sports lottery products accounting for the majority of the market's growth.

Sports lottery sales reached RMB50.82 billion ($7.57 billion) during the month, while welfare lottery sales declined to RMB16.57 billion ($2.47 billion).

The Ministry of Finance attributed much of the increase to the continued impact of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which helped sustain demand for sports betting products beyond the tournament itself.

Sports Betting Sales Increase 73.1%

Sports betting was the strongest-performing lottery category in September, generating RMB39.39 billion ($5.87 billion) in sales, an increase of 73.1% compared with the same month last year.

The category accounted for approximately 58.4% of China's total lottery sales, demonstrating its growing importance within the country's regulated lottery industry.

The increase of RMB16.63 billion ($2.48 billion) in sports betting sales exceeded the overall growth recorded across the national lottery market, offsetting declines in several other product categories.

Traditional lotto products generated RMB13.94 billion ($2.08 billion), representing 20.7% of total sales and a year-on-year decline of 7.3%.

Instant lottery sales also decreased, falling 14.9% to RMB9.97 billion ($1.49 billion), while video lottery products recorded sales of just RMB53 million ($7.9 million).

Keno was among the few other categories to register growth, with sales increasing 19.5% to RMB4.09 billion ($609.9 million), equivalent to 6.1% of the overall market.

The figures highlight the extent to which sports betting contributed to September's performance, with other lottery categories recording mixed results despite the substantial increase in total sales.

China Lottery Market Grows 14.6% In First Nine Months

China's lottery market also recorded strong growth across the first nine months of 2026, with cumulative sales reaching RMB545.82 billion ($81.33 billion).

According to the Ministry of Finance, this represented a 14.6% increase, equivalent to an additional RMB69.68 billion ($10.38 billion) compared with the corresponding period in 2025.

Sports lottery organisations generated RMB397.72 billion ($59.26 billion) between January and September, an increase of 25.7% year-on-year.

The segment contributed an additional RMB81.33 billion ($12.12 billion) in sales, comfortably exceeding the overall market's net increase as welfare lottery revenues continued to decline.

Welfare lottery sales totalled RMB148.10 billion ($22.07 billion) during the nine-month period, representing a decrease of 7.3%, or RMB11.65 billion ($1.74 billion).

The contrasting performances demonstrate how sports-related products have become the principal driver of growth within China's lottery industry, particularly during a year featuring a major international football tournament.

All 31 Provinces Record September Growth

The Ministry of Finance also reported that lottery sales increased year-on-year across all 31 provincial-level regions during September, indicating that the market's expansion was geographically widespread.

Shandong recorded the largest absolute increase in ticket sales, rising by RMB1.6 billion ($238.4 million) compared with September 2025.

Henan followed with an increase of RMB1.43 billion ($213.07 million), while Zhejiang and Jiangsu recorded additional sales of RMB1.16 billion ($172.84 million) and RMB1.05 billion ($156.45 million), respectively.

The nationwide increase reinforces the broader growth recorded throughout 2026, although the Ministry of Finance's figures show that performance continues to vary significantly between lottery categories.

With sports betting accounting for more than half of September's total sales, the segment remains central to the Chinese lottery market's expansion, while traditional lotto and instant-win products face comparatively weaker demand.