The "188bet sports betting Case" of Sanya Bay Mangrove Resort World, which attracted great attention from the media four years ago, has finally been settled: the Sanya Municipal People's Procuratorate withdrew the case，Sanya Intermediate People’s Court acquitted the four defendants in this case。This means，The gambling games at the 188bet sports betting of Mangrove Tree Resort World Sanya Bay, which was involved in the "casino controversy" four years ago, are not illegal，In line with the scope of entertainment business。

As understood，Many legal experts who have been paying attention to this case believe that，The No. 1 Document issued by the Supreme People’s Court this year advocates “creating a good legal environment for entrepreneurs to innovate and start businesses”, which has a profound historical background，Has a positive effect on the development of enterprises。Experts praise 188bet sports betting Judiciary，To some extent，This is also the “new era and new atmosphere” of Hainan Province，Indicates Hainan Province’s practical attitude and determination to “build Hainan into a pilot zone for reform and innovation in my country’s tourism industry”，It also shows that the 188bet sports betting judicial authorities provide legal protection for tourism and vacation companies，Advanced concepts of creating a legal environment。

Early February 2014，Gaming games introduced by Sanya Mangrove Hotel Culture Company in Sanya Bay Mangrove Resort World 188bet sports betting，It attracted domestic and foreign attention after being exposed as “gambling” by a media outlet，There were reports that the hotel was suspected of opening a casino，Sanya City Public Security Bureau immediately arrested 4 people involved in the hotel，The Suburban People’s Procuratorate of Sanya City accused four defendants of “opening a casino”，Requesting that four defendants be sentenced to criminal liability in accordance with the law。The four defendants argued，The prosecution has insufficient legal basis to accuse the defendant of opening a casino，188bet sports betting, both in terms of hardware and software，It is essentially different from casino，The essence of the game mode in the 188bet sports betting is a prize-winning game，No cash or securities involved，No profit from tapping，Does not have the essential characteristics of gambling，is legal。In addition，The business model of the 188bet sports betting is an entertainment innovation supported by the government in the construction of the international tourist island，It is not a completely autonomous behavior of the enterprise。

It took 4 years to hear this case，During trial，Experienced many judgments、Protest and retrial。Latest news display，The recently announced Sanya Suburban People’s Court’s (2015) Cheng Xing Chong Zi No. 6 Criminal Judgment found the four defendants in the case not guilty。The judgment stated，"Analysis based on the identified facts and relevant evidence of this case"，The operation method of the "188bet sports betting" of the Sanya Bay Mangrove Resort Hotel in this case is different from the operation method of the casino in the crime of opening a casino as stipulated by the law，The public prosecutor’s office charged that the four defendants’ actions constituted the crime of opening a casino and were not found guilty，The four defendants should be found innocent according to the law。Afterwards，Display the criminal ruling issued by the Sanya Intermediate People’s Court，Allow the Sanya People’s Procuratorate to withdraw the protest in accordance with the law，"The (2015) Cheng Xing Chong Zi No. 6 Criminal Judgment published by the Sanya Suburban People's Court shall become legally effective from the date of delivery of this ruling"，This ruling is the final ruling。Since then，The “gambling incident” at Sanya Bay Mangrove Resort Hotel 188bet sports betting that has been pending for four years has been settled。

Procedural Law Institute of China University of Political Science and Law、Peking University Law School、Many scholars including Tsinghua University School of Law and many legal professionals said in interviews regarding this case，As the judgment says，The business model of the Mangrove Hotel 188bet sports betting reflects the nature of entertainment and games，It is indeed two different things from gambling。The final judgment of the case，Shows the "new era and new atmosphere" of Hainan Province including the Sanya Municipal Government，It is Hainan Province’s implementation of the relevant spirit of the 19th CPC Central Committee、Real positive measures to create a good legal environment for enterprises。It is reported，This year is the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up，It is also the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Hainan Province as a special economic zone，Hainan’s ambitious goal of becoming an “international tourist island” is expected。

The whole story

January 4, 2010，The State Council issued the "Several Opinions of the State Council on Promoting the Construction and Development of Hainan 188bet sports betting"，The construction of Hainan 188bet sports betting is officially on track。

September 19, 2012，Sanya Bay Mangrove Resort Hotel opens for trial operation，Building area 680,000㎡，Seven themes，Nearly 4,000 rooms，More than 70 specialty restaurants、Amazon Jungle Water Park、Children’s Adventure Kingdom、Multinational Shopping Street、Today’s Art Collection、Today’s X bookstore and film studio and other businesses，It is the first financial conference in China、Exhibition、Fashion、Art、Culture、A destination resort hotel that integrates 188bet sports betting and other holiday life elements。

November 18, 2012，Sanya Bay Mangrove Resort Hotel 188bet sports betting Opens。After half a month of operation，Mangrove gave a written report to the relevant departments and leaders on the operating conditions and the effects of entertainment innovation，Sanya leaders gave instructions in the report: Steady exploration，Accumulate experience。

Early February 2013，Mangrove 188bet sports betting interviewed by Reuters，A journalist from Hong Kong media。But the latter did not participate in the interview，I just entered the Mangrove 188bet sports betting to do some shooting work。

February 17, 2013，Reuters published "Global investors watch how chips fall in China'scashlesscasinobar" ("Global investors watch how chips fall in China'scashlesscasinobar")。Same day，The above-mentioned Hong Kong media published "China pilots non-cash casinos outside Macau"，will"casinobar"Translated as "casino"；Afterwards，Another Hong Kong media website published a video and article "Hainan Hotel reopened for gambling after being closed for half a year at the beginning of the year"，Refers to “Sanya’s Pilot ‘Cashless Casino’。Mangrove 188bet sports betting has attracted attention and heated discussions online，Relevant departments of Sanya City attach great importance to it，Mangrove 188bet sports betting actively cooperates with the investigation work of relevant departments，Closed for business。

May 2013，Hainan Texas Hold'em Association holds the first "CSOP China Poker Series"，Designate Mangrove 188bet sports betting as the only event venue，Mangrove 188bet sports betting resumes business。

End of January 2014，A TV media titled "Crazy "188bet sports betting""，Report on Mangrove 188bet sports betting，Aroused the attention of domestic and foreign media again，Mangrove 188bet sports betting is caught in a “gambling scandal”。

January 28, 2014，A total of 4 managers and related personnel of Mangrove 188bet sports betting were criminally detained，Converted to arrest after 2 days。Nearly 1 year since then，The case enters the trial stage，Due to insufficient evidence during the period、Due to the complexity of the case and other reasons, supplementary investigation was conducted and the trial was postponed。

On August 5, 2014, the first 188bet sports betting session was held.

December 9, 2014，The first instance verdict found four people guilty of "opening a casino"。After the verdict，Defendant Gao Shuang、Li Xiaosong appealed。Based on the defendant Gao Shuang、Li Xiaosong’s appeal，The 188bet sports betting was sent back for retrial。

March 2015，Including Fan Chongyi、Zhang Baosheng、Chen Xingliang、Zhang Mingkai、Chen Ruihua、Six well-known political and legal experts in China including Zhang Zhong、Professor，A special seminar was held in Beijing around 188bet sports betting case。The "Opinion" signed by six people put forward three conclusions:

First，The business model of the Mangrove Hotel and 188bet sports betting identified in the first-instance judgment，Different from gambling in the general sense，Reflects the nature of entertainment and games。

Second，Mangrove Hotel opens 188bet sports betting，To attract tourists、The purpose of promoting consumption，This is obviously different from the subjective purpose of opening a casino。

Third，Mangrove Hotel opens 188bet sports betting，We are building an “International Tourism Island”、In the context of encouraging tourism innovation，Going through the corresponding approval procedures，Get relevant departments、Leadership recognition、With encouragement，An innovative attempt at hotel management。Opened in、In operation，Even if some of the defendant’s actions exceeded the legal scope，It is far from the level of crime，Little social harm，Not suitable to be treated as a crime，It is recommended that the second instance court change the verdict to not guilty。

March 14, 2017，Retrial by 188bet sports betting Suburban People’s Court，Made (2015) Cheng Xing Chong Zi No. 6 Criminal Judgment，The four defendants were found not guilty；188bet sports betting Intermediate People’s Procuratorate filed a protest。

December 29, 2017，188bet sports betting Intermediary People’s Court announced the criminal ruling on this case，Allow 188bet sports betting Intermediate People’s Procuratorate to withdraw its protest，Clearly clarify that the 188bet sports betting Suburban People’s Court (2015) Cheng Xing Chong Zi No. 6 Criminal Judgment shall take legal effect from the date of service of this ruling。This ruling is the final ruling。

*Source of 188bet sports betting article: China Xiaokang Network, original title: "Sanya’s judicial authorities provide legal protection for tourism companies and the Mangrove Resort Hotel’s “188bet sports betting Case” was eventually acquitted》