Lottery vendors risk being punished if caught selling lottery tickets to young people, today's Beijing Times reported.

"Selling lottery tickets to youth under 18 years old is prohibited," according to a notice jointly issued by the Ministries of Finance, Education, Public Security, Civil Affairs and General Administration of Sports and State Administration of Industry & Commerce.

The notice said lottery kiosks should be placed at least 200 meters away from schools and stores selling lottery tickets should be at least 600 meters away.

Sellers will face serious punishment if caught violating the rules, the notice said, without providing details of what punishment they would face.

China launched its first lottery in June 1987. Lottery ticket sales are a major fund-raising source for sports facilities and the country's social welfare programs.

Sales of China's welfare lottery in 2005 reached 41 billion yuan, raising 14.3 billion yuan for the state's social welfare fund.

The spread of betting games has aroused public concern as the games are attracting an increasing number of students, who bet their pocket money on the slim chance of winning a fortune.

Some food or stationery stores near schools were found to be creating their own fake lotteries to cheat students, according to the Beijing Times.

The newspaper said the Beijing Lottery Center has started to check the location of the city's lottery vendors. It has also required sellers to post signs in their stores stating the illegal nature of selling lottery tickets to minors.

(Xinhua News Agency December 18, 2006)