China has launched a campaign to crack down on illegal lottery selling on the Internet to fight lottery-related fraud.

Unauthorized lottery websites should stop selling lottery draws within 30 days or they will be closed down and their owners fined or prosecuted, said a bulletin posted on the website of Ministry of Finance.

Four government ministries -- Finance, Public Security, Civil Affairs, Information Industry -- and the General Administration of Sport will take part in the campaign.

"Internet-based illegal lottery selling is on the rise in recent years, posing a threat to the operation of the lottery market," the bulletin said.

The bulletin listed some of the illegal activities, such as selling private lotteries under the name of state-run lotteries, providing illegal channels for sports gambling and underground Mark Six and lottery-related fraud.

"Except for lottery selling agencies authorized by the government, no one is allowed to sell lottery tickets through the Internet," said the bulletin.

The China Welfare Lottery Administrative Center and sports lottery administrative center of China General Administration of Sport are the only two legitimate lottery sellers in China and they are both state-run.

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2007)