Scratch cards, a type of instant lottery, have unexpectedly become popular among young people in China, driven largely by social media influencers promoting them. Once considered a pastime for the older generation, scratch cards are now gaining traction on platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu, where influencers' content has garnered billions of views.
Over the past three months, scratch card sales have surged to 38.9 billion yuan ($5.4 billion), reflecting an 81.4% increase compared to the previous year. If this trend continues, annual sales could surpass 200 billion yuan by the end of the year.
Analysts suggest that this surge in popularity is partly due to economic uncertainties faced by young Chinese, who are grappling with a challenging job market and the threat of deflation. Despite the slim odds of winning significant prizes, the immediate gratification offered by scratch cards is a significant draw for the younger demographic.
