Banned! 11 things you won't find in China

China says it wants to open its economy more to the rest of the world, but Beijing keeps a tight grip on technology and access to media. These 11 items are still off limits.

Casinos

banned china casinos

Beijing outlawed gambling in 1949, and casinos are not allowed to operate in China. Yet many Chinese have an inclination toward games of chance, a tradition that dates back thousands of years.

Today, the blanket ban doesn't stop entrepreneurial Chinese from setting up underground gambling operations and private lotteries.

The policy has also given rise to a ring of casinos that operate just outside mainland China. The most notable of these is in the territory of Macau, which boasts a casino industry that is several times larger than that of Las Vegas.

But gambling in Macau has taken a hit from the Chinese government's sweeping anti-corruption campaign. Casinos' gaming revenues have tumbled, dealing a heavy blow to the rest of the territory's economy.

Related: Inside Macau, the economy that shrank 20% last year

  @CNNTech - Last updated March 17 2017 08:26 AM ET

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