BEIJING — China’s lottery sales dropped 12.7 percent year-on-year to 35.52 billion yuan ($5.16 billion) in May, official data showed.

Sales of welfare lottery tickets declined 15.7 percent from one year earlier to 16.49 billion yuan, while sports lottery sales went down 10 percent to 19.03 billion yuan, according to a statement from the Ministry of Finance.

In the first five months, lottery sales fell 4.7 percent year-on-year to 177.83 billion yuan, the statement said.

Under China’s lottery management rules, money from lottery ticket sales is used for administrative expenses, public welfare projects and prize money.

Three provinces, namely Sichuan, Anhui and Guizhou, posted year-on-year sales increases In May.

China’s total lottery sales in 2018 stood at 511.47 billion yuan, up 19.9 percent year-on-year.