Officials in Hainan have prohibited the construction of casinos and race tracks, reducing the likelihood that the tropical island will supplant Hong Kong and Macau as a mainland gambling destination, the South China Morning Post reported. Beijing had previously acceded to the possibility of a lottery industry and real-time sports betting in Hainan, offering an alternative to mainland government-sanctioned lotteries. However, Hainan Governor Luo Baoming said that while a preferential policy allowed the island more leeway in exploring tourism development, it did not mean that the provincial government could break any laws. The central government has cited concerns about social problems to account for its prohibition of gambling legalization on the mainland, driving the majority of China’s gaming industry underground.
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