China online platforms scrap lucky draw features amid gambling crackdown

The crackdown spurred Tencent Music and Huya to ‘pre-emptively disable live streaming features that contain games of chance’, analysts said, cutting off a lucractive source of revenue. — Reuters

HONG KONG: Chinese online content platforms including Tencent Music and NetEase's Cloud Music have removed livestreaming features that analysts say could be used for illegal gambling, at a hefty cost to their quarterly revenues.

Analysts say online content platforms pulled the plug on features such as virtual lucky draws after the government in June started cracking down on live streaming, as part of a wider clampdown on online gambling.