China's anti-corruption drive has gained momentum as thousands of gamblers in the government have been administratively punished since last year.

Reports from the central government said more than 7,000 officials have been meted out punishments ranging from warnings to filing of administrative cases.

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Reports said the 7,162 officials came from 30 various cities and provinces with most of them from east and south China.

Around 1,575 gamblers were from Zhejang and 1,127 in Guangdong.

China has been actively eliminating the widespread corruption in the country, jailing errant officials, and even going after economic fugitives abroad. Punishing gamblers in the government has been the subject of a nationwide crackdown as a part of its anti-corruption campaign.

Investigators said high officials in the central government take bribes from other gamblers in the form of allowing them to win at mahjong. They said this practice is very common specifically if the non-government gambler  needs a business favor from the officials.

The investigators said these government officials usually take home more than 100,000 yuan or roughly US$16,3000 per mahjong  session.

China authorities revealed to the Beijing Youth Daily that gambling addicts in the government usually steal from the nation's coffers to cover their losses and feed their addictions more.

Several high-ranking officials have been arrested recently because of massive corruption. Cong Jun, deputy director of Liuzhous social security management, was arrested for allegedly stealing 3 million yuan to pay for his gambling debts on soccer.

Another official, Lu Shengle, finance office director, allegedly siphoned off 3.2million yuan in public funds to pay off his gambling debts.

Perhaps the most controversial gambling case was that of a village official in Fotong town who was recently investigated over allegations  of incurring more than 4 million yuan in gambling debts in Macau.

With his 79 mother in the car, the official drove to the town's gates and set his car on fire in an apparent suicide attempt last September 26. At present, the two are recuperating in the hospital.

Tagsgambling, central government