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世界杯红牌图鉴 · 刑事 · 网络赌博

世界杯红牌图鉴① ｜ 赌球的四张牌：从拘留 5 天，到刑期 10 年

同样是"沾"赌球，下注、开盘、做代理、借卡是四种性质完全不同的行为，分别对应治安处罚、赌博罪、开设赌场罪、帮信/掩饰隐瞒犯罪所得罪，后果从 5 天拘留到 10 年有期徒刑。本文按"判罚轻重"依次摆开赌球的四张牌，附境外平台、USDT、输钱追回三个流行误区的逐帧回放，以及可收藏的法条原文。

实务手记约 6 分钟阅读中 / EN 双语

世界杯开幕了。先看一组本届最重要的对阵表——任何售票网站上都查不到的那种：

  • 看球的你 vs 熬夜 —— 最坏的结果，是输掉黑眼圈
  • 下注的你 vs 治安管理处罚法 —— 可能输掉 5 到 15 天自由
  • 开盘的你 vs 刑法第 303 条 —— 最高踢到 3 年
  • 做代理的你 vs 刑法修正案（十一） —— 这场要踢到 10 年加时

对多数人，世界杯是四年一度的狂欢。对刑辩律师，它是另一个"赛季"的开始：每届世界杯之后的两三个月，赌球类案件的咨询会准时到来——像加时赛一样，没人想踢，但总会发生。所以我们做了这个系列，叫《世界杯红牌图鉴》，盘点世界杯期间最容易吃到的"法律红牌"。第一篇，从最大的流量入口讲起：赌球。

世界杯史上最著名的红牌，发生在 2006 年决赛第 110 分钟。齐祖用头提醒我们：再大的场面，也扛不住一次上头。

先把一个基本区别说清楚：足球场上的红牌，裁判举一下，你提前去洗澡，停赛一场，下轮还能回来。法律的红牌不一样——它通常伴随一副手铐、一间没有大屏幕的房间，和一份写着"刑事拘留通知书"的文件。

下面按"判罚轻重"，把赌球的四张牌依次摆开。您可以对照看看，自己或身边人站在哪条线附近。

第一张 · 黄牌 —— "我就跟着群里下了几注"

最常见的情形：球迷群里有人开盘，跟着下了几注，金额不大，纯属"增加观赛乐趣"。

"我就轻轻咬一口。"——苏亚雷斯，2014。"我就小小玩一把。"——很多人，2026。纪律委员会对这两句话的态度，完全一致。

这在法律上叫参与赌博。够不上犯罪，但《治安管理处罚法》第 82 条管它：参与赌博赌资较大的，处五日以下拘留或者一千元以下罚款；情节严重的，处十日以上十五日以下拘留，并处一千元以上五千元以下罚款。

两个提示：

  • "赌资较大"的标准各地不一，但网络投注笔笔有记录、可累计，比您记忆中"就玩了几把"经得起统计得多。
  • 顺便说一句，新修订的《治安管理处罚法》今年 1 月 1 日刚生效，赌博的罚款上限从三千元涨到了五千元。您看，连"入场费"都赶在世界杯前完成了调价。

边界也说清楚：亲属朋友之间带少量彩头的娱乐活动，不属于处罚范围。看球押杯奶茶、输了做俯卧撑，法律不管——它忙着管下面三张牌。

第二张 · 红牌 —— "我组了个局"（赌博罪）

从"玩家"往前一步，性质就变了：建群、开盘、对接盘口、按流水抽水——这叫聚众赌博，《刑法》第 303 条第 1 款，赌博罪，三年以下有期徒刑、拘役或者管制，并处罚金。

什么算"聚众"？司法解释给了硬指标（法释〔2005〕3 号）：组织 3 人以上赌博，满足以下任意一项——

  • 抽头渔利累计 5000 元以上；或
  • 赌资累计 5 万元以上；或
  • 参赌人数累计 20 人以上。

请注意"累计"两个字。一个 200 人的球迷群，小组赛 72 场踢完，流水过 5 万不需要任何人努力——这不是吓唬，是乘法。小组赛结束那天第一次认真计算"累计流水"的群主，多半笑不出来。而抽头 5000 元这个门槛，很多群主是在第二个比赛日达到的，本人毫无察觉。

第三张 · 红牌＋追加处罚 —— "我只是做了个代理"（开设赌场罪）

世界杯期间，朋友圈总会出现一种人：晒收益截图、招"会员"、发注册链接，自称"只是帮平台推广，又不是我开的"。代理们朋友圈晒的人设，大概是这样的。

法律对此早有明确答案：为赌博网站担任代理并接受投注的，就是开设赌场（法释〔2005〕3 号、2010 年两高一部《关于办理网络赌博犯罪案件适用法律若干问题的意见》）。不是"帮忙"，不是"兼职"，是《刑法》第 303 条第 2 款，开设赌场罪。

量刑这几年还加码了。刑法修正案（十一）之后：开设赌场的，处五年以下有期徒刑；情节严重的，五年以上十年以下。而网络赌博的"情节严重"门槛低得超出多数人想象——抽头渔利累计 3 万、或赌资累计 30 万、或参赌人数累计 120 人。在世界杯的流量面前，这三个数字基本是"开赛即达标"。

朋友圈写的是"躺赚"，起诉书写的是"非法获利"——同一笔钱，两种文风。

第四张 · 替补席上也能吃牌 —— "我连球都没看，就借了张卡"（帮信罪）

足球史上，坐在替补席上吃红牌的球员不少。法律上这种情况更常见：很多人一注都没下过，只是把银行卡、收款码借给了"做生意的朋友"，就和庄家进了同一本案卷。

世界杯期间，赌球平台对银行卡、收款码的需求暴涨，"高价收卡""跑分日结"的报价也会跟着涨。价格为什么涨？因为风险在涨——市场定价，永远比朋友的承诺诚实。

这条线上主要是两个罪名：

  • 帮信罪（《刑法》第 287 条之二）：明知他人利用网络实施犯罪，仍提供支付结算等帮助，情节严重的，三年以下有期徒刑或者拘役；
  • 如果明知是赌资还帮着转移、走账，可能构成更重的掩饰、隐瞒犯罪所得罪（第 312 条），情节严重的三年以上七年以下。

它的特点是：当事人往往是整个链条里最年轻、获利最少、最先被抓到的人。互联网传世名梗那句话——"你赌球？信不信由你——进监狱"——讲的就是这条线。四张牌讲完，发现立法精神已跨越太平洋完成会师。

VAR 环节 · 三个流行误区，逐帧回放

这个手势在球场上的意思是"回看录像"。在案卷里的意思是：每一笔流水，都有回放。

误区一："平台在国外，人家是合法的。"平台在哪儿注册不重要，您人在境内、投注行为发生在境内，中国刑法就管得着（属地管辖）。至于组织者——刑法修正案（十一）专门为这类情形新增了组织参与国（境）外赌博罪（第 303 条第 3 款），就是为"境外合法"这套说辞量身定做的。

误区二："我用 USDT，查不到我。"不展开技术细节，只说结论：资金链是这类案件最常规的突破口，无论它穿什么衣服。链上的记录不会替任何人保密——它只是暂时没空理你。

误区三："我输了钱，报警能追回来吗？"这是每届世界杯后被问得最多的问题。答案分两种情形：

  • 如果是真赌球：赌债不受法律保护，赌资属于非法资金，依法收缴——输掉的钱，法律不负责退款，它负责的是上面四张牌。
  • 如果是假平台——充值容易、提现永远"系统维护"，那性质就不是赌博，而是诈骗，您的身份从"参赌人员"变成了"被害人"，处理逻辑完全不同。

这两种情形的区分，值得单独一篇。《红牌图鉴》后续见。2014 年，巴西 1:7 德国。那位抱着金杯的老爷子，成了世界杯史上最心碎的画面。但输球可以等四年，下一届再来——有些判罚，没有下一届。

终场哨 · 如果家人因为赌球被带走

玩笑到这里收住，说点要紧的。

收到拘留通知的家属，问的第一句话往往是"他就是看个球，怎么就进去了"。情绪可以理解，但接下来 37 天里真正有用的，是先弄清三件事：

  1. 涉嫌的罪名到底是哪个——赌博、开设赌场、帮信，三个罪名的量刑空间差异巨大，方向错了，后面全错；
  2. 他在整个结构里的真实位置——玩家、群主、代理、卡主，责任从来不是"沾边就一样大"；
  3. 时间节点——刑事拘留到批捕决定之间的窗口期（俗称"黄金 37 天"），是争取取保候审最关键的阶段。

具体怎么梳理、怎么向办案机关呈现，因案而异，也是专业所在，这里不展开。对家属来说，要做的其实很简单：把真实情况完整讲清楚，把时间留给专业判断。

世界杯 39 天，比赛会结束，判罚不会过期。愿您把悬念留给比赛，把自己留在看台上。

附 · 法条卡（引证原文，供查阅收藏）

《治安管理处罚法》第 82 条（2026 年 1 月 1 日施行）
以营利为目的，为赌博提供条件的，或者参与赌博赌资较大的，处五日以下拘留或者一千元以下罚款；情节严重的，处十日以上十五日以下拘留，并处一千元以上五千元以下罚款。
《刑法》第 303 条（经刑法修正案（十一）修正）
以营利为目的，聚众赌博或者以赌博为业的，处三年以下有期徒刑、拘役或者管制，并处罚金。 开设赌场的，处五年以下有期徒刑、拘役或者管制，并处罚金；情节严重的，五年以上十年以下有期徒刑，并处罚金。 组织中华人民共和国公民参与国（境）外赌博，数额巨大或者有其他严重情节的，依照前款的规定处罚。
《刑法》第 287 条之二（帮助信息网络犯罪活动罪）第 1 款
明知他人利用信息网络实施犯罪，为其犯罪提供互联网接入、服务器托管、网络存储、通讯传输等技术支持，或者提供广告推广、支付结算等帮助，情节严重的，处三年以下有期徒刑或者拘役，并处或者单处罚金。
法释〔2005〕3 号《最高人民法院、最高人民检察院关于办理赌博刑事案件具体应用法律若干问题的解释》（节选）
第一条　以营利为目的，有下列情形之一的，属于刑法第三百零三条规定的"聚众赌博"：（一）组织 3 人以上赌博，抽头渔利数额累计达到 5000 元以上的；（二）组织 3 人以上赌博，赌资数额累计达到 5 万元以上的；（三）组织 3 人以上赌博，参赌人数累计达到 20 人以上的；（四）组织中华人民共和国公民 10 人以上赴境外赌博，从中收取回扣、介绍费的。 第二条　以营利为目的，在计算机网络上建立赌博网站，或者为赌博网站担任代理，接受投注的，属于刑法第三百零三条规定的"开设赌场"。
2010 年《最高人民法院、最高人民检察院、公安部关于办理网络赌博犯罪案件适用法律若干问题的意见》（要点）
为赌博网站担任代理并接受投注、参与赌博网站利润分成等情形，属于"开设赌场"；利用互联网开设赌场，抽头渔利数额累计达到 3 万元以上、赌资数额累计达到 30 万元以上、参赌人数累计达到 120 人以上等情形的，认定为"情节严重"。
本文为一般性实务说明，基于公开法律法规写作；案件的定性与处理取决于个案事实、证据与程序进展，不构成针对个案的法律意见，也不构成对任何案件结果的承诺。

作者与团队 · Author & Team

  • 李睿 Li Rui
    李睿Li Rui德恒深圳合伙人 · 德恒深圳恒信律师团队（本文作者）网络赌博与开设赌场罪辩护、赌博罪与聚众赌博的界定、帮信罪与掩饰隐瞒犯罪所得罪的定性区分、共犯与从犯责任切割、黄金 37 天侦查阶段取保、退赃退赔与赌资收缴；并办理经济犯罪辩护、投融资争议解决、跨境执行。
  • 肖黄鹤 Xiao Huanghe
    肖黄鹤Xiao Huanghe德恒全球合伙人内地与香港跨法域交易、跨境争议解决与判决执行、投融资与对赌争议、涉港数据跨境合规
  • 林博 Lin Bo
    林博Lin Bo德恒深圳合伙人十余年刑事实务经验，商事交易安排、公司相关争议解决
  • 苏影彤 Su Yingtong
    苏影彤Su Yingtong德恒深圳执业律师刑事辩护、投融资争议解决

常见问题 · FAQ

Q：世界杯赌球被抓，到底会判多重？
李睿律师：要看落在哪一档。单纯下注参赌，够不上犯罪，由《治安管理处罚法》第 82 条处理——参与赌博赌资较大的，处五日以下拘留或者一千元以下罚款；情节严重的，处十日以上十五日以下拘留，并处一千元以上五千元以下罚款。再往前一步：建群开盘、按流水抽水，可能构成赌博罪（《刑法》第 303 条第 1 款），三年以下；为赌球网站担任代理并接受投注，构成开设赌场罪（《刑法》第 303 条第 2 款），基础五年以下，情节严重的五年以上十年以下；把银行卡借给平台走账，可能构成帮信罪（《刑法》第 287 条之二），三年以下。同样是"沾"赌球，方向错了，判断全错。
Q：群里开盘或者做代理，和单纯下注的区别有多大？
李睿律师：区别很大，性质完全不同。单纯下注是参与赌博，受治安处罚，最多拘留 15 天；建群开盘、对接盘口、按流水抽水，叫聚众赌博，按法释〔2005〕3 号，组织 3 人以上、抽头渔利累计 5000 元以上、或赌资累计 5 万元以上、或参赌人数累计 20 人以上的，构成赌博罪，三年以下有期徒刑；而做代理、接受投注、按流水分成，构成开设赌场罪，基础五年以下，情节严重的（抽头 3 万、赌资 30 万、参赌 120 人等）五年以上十年以下。"玩家"和"庄家"只差一步，量刑却差好几档。
Q：我只是把银行卡借给朋友赌球用，有风险吗？
李睿律师：有，而且不小。卡是实名的，一旦有赌资从卡里走过，这张卡和这段流水就进了案子。常见处理是帮助信息网络犯罪活动罪（帮信罪，《刑法》第 287 条之二），三年以下；如果明知是赌资还帮着转移、走账，可能构成更重的掩饰、隐瞒犯罪所得罪（《刑法》第 312 条），情节严重的三年以上七年以下。这条线上当事人往往是整个链条里最年轻、获利最少、最先被抓到的。借卡之前，先想清楚"市场定价永远比朋友的承诺诚实"。

知识锚点 · Knowledge anchors

  • 赌博罪 / 聚众赌博 Gambling / assembling crowds
  • 开设赌场罪 Opening a casino
  • 帮信罪 / 掩饰隐瞒犯罪所得 Bangxin / concealing proceeds
  • 治安处罚 / 黄金 37 天 Public security detention / golden 37 days
  • 组织参与境外赌博 Organising overseas gambling
←  Back to insights

World Cup Red Card Guide · Criminal · Online gambling

World Cup Red Card Guide ① ｜ The Four Cards of Football Betting: From 5 Days’ Detention to 10 Years’ Imprisonment

“Touching” football betting plays out in four wholly different ways — placing a bet, running a book, acting as an agent, lending a card. They map respectively onto the Public Security Administration Punishment Law, the crime of gambling, the crime of opening a casino, and the crimes of bangxin (aiding information-network crime) and concealing crime proceeds — with consequences running from 5 days’ detention to 10 years’ imprisonment. This piece lays out the four cards in order of severity, replays three popular misconceptions about offshore platforms, USDT and recovering losses, and closes with the statute texts worth bookmarking.

Practice notes6 min read中 / EN bilingual

The World Cup is underway. First, the most important fixture list of this tournament — the kind you will not find on any ticketing site:

  • You watching the match vs staying up late — the worst outcome is dark circles
  • You placing a bet vs the Public Security Administration Punishment Law — you may lose 5 to 15 days of freedom
  • You running a book vs Article 303 of the Criminal Law — up to 3 years
  • You acting as an agent vs Criminal Law Amendment (XI) — 10 years in extra time

For most, the World Cup is a once-in-four-years festival. For a criminal-defence lawyer, it is the start of another “season”: in the two or three months after each World Cup, enquiries about betting-related cases arrive on cue — like extra time, no one wants to play it, but it always happens. So we built this series, World Cup Red Card Guide, cataloguing the “legal red cards” most likely to be shown during the tournament. The first piece opens at the biggest gateway: football betting.

The most famous red card in World Cup history came in the 110th minute of the 2006 final. Zidane’s headbutt is a reminder: no stage is big enough to absorb one moment of losing your head.

One basic distinction first: a red card on the pitch means the referee raises a finger, you head to the showers early, miss one match, and return next round. A legal red card is different — it usually comes with a pair of handcuffs, a room without a big screen, and a document headed “Criminal Detention Notice”.

Below, the four cards of betting are laid out in order of “severity of punishment”. You may check, for yourself or someone close, which line you are standing near.

First card · yellow — “I just placed a few bets in the group chat”

The commonest situation: someone opens a book in a fans’ group, others chip in a few bets, small amounts, purely “to make watching more fun”.

“Just a little nibble,” — Suárez, 2014. “Just a small flutter,” — many, in 2026. The disciplinary committee treats these two sentences exactly the same.

In law this is participating in gambling. It does not amount to a crime, but Article 82 of the Public Security Administration Punishment Law governs it: those who participate in gambling with relatively large stakes face up to five days’ detention or a fine of up to one thousand yuan; in serious cases, ten to fifteen days’ detention and a fine of one thousand to five thousand yuan.

Two notes:

  • The threshold for “relatively large” varies by region, but online bets leave a record for every wager and are cumulative — far more countable than the “just a few bets” in your memory.
  • By the way, the newly revised Public Security Administration Punishment Law took effect on 1 January this year, raising the cap on gambling fines from three thousand to five thousand yuan. Note that even the “entry fee” was repriced just in time for the World Cup.

The boundary, too, is clear: small-stake games between relatives or friends for fun are outside the scope of punishment. A bet over a cup of tea, loser does push-ups — the law does not care. It is busy with the next three cards.

Second card · red — “I ran the game” (crime of gambling)

A step beyond “player”, and the nature changes: setting up a group, opening a book, liaising with the operator, taking a cut of turnover — this is assembling crowds for gambling, Article 303(1) of the Criminal Law, the crime of gambling, up to three years’ fixed-term imprisonment, criminal detention or public surveillance, plus a fine.

What counts as “assembling crowds”? The judicial interpretation gives hard thresholds (Judicial Interpretation No. 3 [2005]): organising three or more persons to gamble and meeting any one of the following —

  • cumulative rake or profit reaching 5,000 yuan or more; or
  • cumulative stakes reaching 50,000 yuan or more; or
  • cumulative number of gamblers reaching 20 or more.

Note the word “cumulative”. A 200-person fans’ group, over 72 group-stage matches, can pass 50,000 in turnover without anyone trying — this is not a scare, it is multiplication. The group owner who first sits down after the group stage to reckon “cumulative turnover” is, more often than not, no longer smiling. And the 5,000-yuan rake threshold is one many group owners reach on the second match day, entirely without noticing.

Third card · red plus additional sanction — “I only acted as an agent” (crime of opening a casino)

During the World Cup a certain type always appears in people’s social feeds: posting screenshots of returns, recruiting “members”, sharing registration links, claiming “I only promote the platform, I don’t run it”. The persona agents project in their feeds looks roughly like this.

The law has a clear answer: acting as an agent for a gambling website and accepting bets is opening a casino (Judicial Interpretation No. 3 [2005]; the 2010 Opinions of the Supreme People’s Court, Supreme People’s Procuratorate and Ministry of Public Security on the Application of Law in Handling Online Gambling Criminal Cases). Not “helping”, not “a side gig” — it is Article 303(2) of the Criminal Law, the crime of opening a casino.

Sentencing has tightened in recent years. After Criminal Law Amendment (XI): opening a casino carries up to five years; in serious cases, five to ten years. And the threshold for “serious” in online gambling is lower than most imagine — cumulative rake of 30,000, cumulative stakes of 300,000, or cumulative gamblers of 120. Set against World Cup traffic, those three numbers are essentially “met on day one”.

The social feed calls it “easy money”; the indictment calls it “illegal gain” — the same sum, two styles of writing.

Fourth card · sent off from the bench — “I never even watched the match, I just lent a card” (bangxin)

Plenty of players have taken a red card while on the bench. In law it is even more common: many people never placed a single bet, only lent a bank card or payment QR code to “a friend doing business”, and ended up in the same case file as the operator.

During the World Cup, demand from betting platforms for bank cards and payment codes surges, and the rates offered for “cards bought” or “same-day fund-moving” rise with it. Why does the price rise? Because the risk is rising — market pricing is always more honest than a friend’s promise.

This line mainly involves two charges:

  • Bangxin / the crime of aiding information-network criminal activities (Article 287-2 of the Criminal Law): knowingly providing payment-settlement and similar help to someone using the network to commit crimes, in serious cases up to three years’ imprisonment or criminal detention;
  • If you knowingly help move or transfer betting money, you may face the heavier crime of concealing or disguising crime proceeds (Article 312), with serious cases carrying three to seven years.

Its hallmark: the person caught is usually the youngest in the chain, the one who gained the least, and the first to be caught. That internet meme — “You bet? Believe it or not — right to jail” — is about exactly this line. By the time the four cards are dealt, you realise the legislative spirit has crossed the Pacific and shaken hands.

VAR · three popular misconceptions, frame by frame

On the pitch, that rectangular gesture means “review the replay”. In the case file, it means: every transaction has a replay.

Misconception one: “The platform is abroad, so it’s legal there.” Where the platform is registered does not matter — if you are in China and the betting happens in China, Chinese criminal law reaches it (territorial jurisdiction). For the organisers, Criminal Law Amendment (XI) added the crime of organising participation in gambling outside the country (or region) (Article 303(3)), tailor-made for the “but it’s legal overseas” line.

Misconception two: “I use USDT, so they can’t trace me.” Skipping the technical detail, the conclusion: the money trail is the most routine breakthrough in these cases, whatever clothes it wears. The on-chain records keep nobody’s secret — they simply have not got around to you yet.

Misconception three: “I lost money — can the police get it back?” The most-asked question after every World Cup. The answer splits in two:

  • If it was genuine betting: the debt is not protected, the stake is illicit funds and is confiscated — the law does not refund what you lost, it concerns itself with the four cards above.
  • If it was a fake platform — easy to deposit, withdrawal forever “under maintenance” — then it is not gambling but fraud, your status shifts from “participant” to “victim”, and the logic is entirely different.

That distinction deserves its own piece; the Red Card Guide continues. In 2014, Brazil lost 1:7 to Germany. The old man clutching the trophy became the most heartbreaking image in World Cup history. But a defeat can wait four years for the next tournament — some penalties have no next edition.

Final whistle · if a family member is taken in over betting

The jokes stop here; let us turn to what matters.

The first thing a family member asks after receiving a detention notice is usually “he was only watching the football, how did he end up inside?” The emotion is understandable, but what matters in the next 37 days is to settle three things:

  1. Exactly which crime is suspected — gambling, opening a casino, or bangxin carry very different sentencing ranges; get the direction wrong and everything after is wrong;
  2. Their actual position in the structure — player, group owner, agent, card lender — liability is never “equal if you touch it”;
  3. Timing — the window between criminal detention and the arrest decision (the “golden 37-day window”, from detention to arrest) is the most important stage for seeking bail pending trial.

How exactly to unpack the facts and present them to the authorities depends on the case. For the family, the task is simple: set out the true situation in full, and leave the time to professional judgement.

The World Cup lasts 39 days; the match will end, the consequences do not expire. Keep the suspense for the match, and keep yourself in the stands.

Appendix · Statute card (original text, for reference)

Public Security Administration Punishment Law, Article 82 (effective 1 January 2026)
Whoever, for the purpose of profit, provides conditions for gambling, or participates in gambling with relatively large stakes, shall be detained for up to five days or fined up to one thousand yuan; in serious cases, detained for ten to fifteen days and fined one thousand to five thousand yuan.
Criminal Law, Article 303 (as amended by Amendment (XI))
Whoever, for the purpose of profit, assembles crowds for gambling or makes a living by gambling shall be sentenced to up to three years’ fixed-term imprisonment, criminal detention or public surveillance, and fined. Whoever opens a casino shall be sentenced to up to five years’ fixed-term imprisonment, criminal detention or public surveillance, and fined; in serious cases, five to ten years’ imprisonment, and fined. Whoever organises citizens of the People’s Republic of China to participate in gambling outside the country (or region), where the amount is huge or there are other serious circumstances, shall be sentenced in accordance with the preceding paragraph.
Criminal Law, Article 287-2 (crime of aiding information-network criminal activities / bangxin), paragraph 1
Whoever, knowing that another person is using the information network to commit a crime, provides technical support such as internet access, server hosting, network storage or communications transmission for the crime, or provides advertising, marketing or payment-settlement assistance, shall, in serious cases, be sentenced to up to three years’ fixed-term imprisonment or criminal detention, with or without a fine.
Judicial Interpretation No. 3 [2005] of the Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procuratorate on the Application of Law in Criminal Gambling Cases (excerpts)
Article 1 — For the purpose of profit, any of the following constitutes “assembling crowds for gambling” under Article 303 of the Criminal Law: (1) organising three or more persons to gamble with cumulative rake or profit reaching 5,000 yuan or more; (2) organising three or more persons to gamble with cumulative stakes reaching 50,000 yuan or more; (3) organising three or more persons to gamble with a cumulative total of 20 or more gamblers; (4) organising 10 or more citizens of the People’s Republic to gamble abroad and receiving rebates or introduction fees. Article 2 — For the purpose of profit, establishing a gambling website on a computer network, or acting as an agent for a gambling website and accepting bets, constitutes “opening a casino” under Article 303 of the Criminal Law.
2010 Opinions of the Supreme People’s Court, Supreme People’s Procuratorate and Ministry of Public Security on the application of Law in Handling Online Gambling Criminal Cases (key points)
Acting as an agent for a gambling website and accepting bets, or sharing in the profits of a gambling website, constitutes “opening a casino”; opening a casino via the internet with cumulative rake reaching 30,000 yuan or more, cumulative stakes reaching 300,000 yuan or more, or a cumulative total of 120 or more gamblers is recognised as a “serious case”.
This article is general practice information based on public laws and regulations; the characterisation and handling of any case depend on its facts, evidence and procedural posture. It is not legal advice on any specific matter and promises no outcome.

Author & Team

  • 李睿 Li Rui
    Li RuiPartner, DeHeng Shenzhen · DeHeng Shenzhen Hengxin Legal Team (author)Online gambling and opening-a-casino defence; the boundary between the crime of gambling and assembling crowds; the distinction between bangxin and concealing crime proceeds; joint-and-secondary offender segmentation; “golden 37-day window” pre-arrest bail; restitution and confiscation of stakes. Also economic-crime defence, investment and financing disputes, cross-border enforcement.
  • 肖黄鹤 Xiao Huanghe
    Xiao HuangheGlobal Partner, DeHengPRC–Hong Kong cross-jurisdiction transactions, cross-border dispute resolution and enforcement, investment and VAM disputes, outbound data compliance
  • 林博 Lin Bo
    Lin BoPartner, DeHeng ShenzhenOver a decade of criminal practice; commercial transaction structuring and corporate disputes
  • 苏影彤 Su Yingtong
    Su YingtongPractising Lawyer, DeHeng ShenzhenCriminal defence, investment and financing disputes

FAQ

Q: Caught betting during the World Cup — how heavy is the sentence?
Li Rui: It depends on which tier it lands in. Simply placing bets does not amount to a crime; Article 82 of the Public Security Administration Punishment Law governs it — participating in gambling with relatively large stakes means up to five days’ detention or a fine of up to one thousand yuan; in serious cases, ten to fifteen days’ detention and a fine of one thousand to five thousand yuan. One step further — setting up a group, opening a book and taking a cut of turnover may constitute the crime of gambling (Criminal Law Article 303(1)), up to three years. Acting as an agent for a betting website and accepting bets constitutes the crime of opening a casino (Article 303(2)), with a baseline of up to five years; in serious cases, five to ten years. Lending a card to move platform money may constitute bangxin (Article 287-2), up to three years. The same brush with betting — get the direction wrong and the whole judgement goes wrong.
Q: How big is the difference between running a book in a group chat (or acting as an agent) and simply placing a bet?
Li Rui: Big — and different in nature. Plain betting is participation in gambling, an administrative public-security matter, capped at 15 days’ detention. Setting up a group, opening a book, liaising with the operator and taking a cut is assembling crowds for gambling: under Judicial Interpretation No. 3 [2005], organising three or more persons with cumulative rake of 5,000 yuan, cumulative stakes of 50,000 yuan, or 20+ gamblers constitutes the crime of gambling, up to three years. Acting as an agent, accepting bets and sharing turnover constitutes opening a casino — baseline up to five years; serious cases (rake 30,000, stakes 300,000, 120+ gamblers) five to ten years. “Player” and “house” are one step apart, yet several sentencing tiers apart.
Q: I just lent my bank card to a friend for betting — is there a risk?
Li Rui: Yes — and not a small one. The card is in your name; once betting money passes through it, both the card and that flow enter the case. The usual charge is the crime of aiding information-network criminal activities (bangxin, Criminal Law Article 287-2), up to three years; if you knowingly helped move or transfer betting money, you may face the heavier crime of concealing or disguising crime proceeds (Article 312), with serious cases carrying three to seven years. On this line, the person caught is usually the youngest in the chain, the one who gained the least, and the first to be caught. Before lending a card, weigh this: market pricing is always more honest than a friend’s promise.

Knowledge anchors

  • Gambling / assembling crowds
  • Opening a casino
  • Bangxin / concealing proceeds
  • Public security detention / golden 37-day window
  • Organising participation in overseas gambling

— Contact

家人因赌球被带走，
想先听一个独立的专业判断？A family member taken in over football betting —
and you want an independent read first?

肖黄鹤 律师 · Xiao Huanghe[email protected] 李睿 律师 · Li Rui[email protected]