China's Q1 lottery sales up 34 pct: ministry

China's first-quarter lottery sales rose 33.8 percent year-on-year to reach 46.31 billion yuan (about 7.09 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced Monday.
Sales of welfare lottery tickets in the first three months jumped 34.4 percent year-on-year to 27.15 billion yuan while sales of sports lottery tickets rose 32.9 percent year-on-year to 19.17 billion yuan.
In March alone, lottery sales reached 19.01 billion yuan, up 43.5 percent from the same period last year, the MOF said in a statement on its website.
According to China's Regulations on Lottery Management, funds generated through lotteries are divided into three parts: the jackpot, lottery management fees, and lottery public funds which should be spent as stipulated on financing social welfare causes.
Weekly review April 14 BRICS nations can be anchor of global economy, politics April 13 China launches assault on child kidnapping April 12 China's coastal seas unaffected by Japan's radioactive water April 11 US has serious human rights abuses: China April 16 The week in pictures April 11 PM Kan offers thanks for 'Kizuna' on People's Daily April 13 Stable BRICS nations prop up world development April 13 US should stop acting like 'preacher' of human rights April 15 GDP rises 9.7% in Q1, inflation surges too April 14 Auditor lady's sudden death sparks overwork debate