In 1989 a sports lottery was introduced in China for the first time in an attempt to raise funds for the 11th Asian Games. In 1994 the Sports Lottery Management Center under the State Physical Culture Administration was established and soon branch offices in provinces and cities were created. A nationwide lottery selling network was established and sports lottery was brought under standardized management for its distribution, printing and allocations. The sports lottery is playing a more and more important role in raising sports funds. In 2001 the sports lottery raised more than 2.7 billion yuan for public welfare funding. The money was used for such things as the Nationwide Physical Fitness Program, to help China's western regions and less developed regions develop sports, and to supplement the budget of major sports tournaments.
