BEIJING — China's lottery sales slumped to 23.39 billion yuan ($3.28 billion) in April, data from the Ministry of Finance showed.

The amount shrank 35 percent year-on-year due to the impact of COVID-19, said the ministry.

In breakdown, sales of welfare lottery tickets went down 26.9 percent year-on-year to 11.91 billion yuan, while sports lottery sales dropped 41.8 percent to 11.48 billion yuan.

In the first four months this year, lottery sales amounted to 61.11 billion yuan, down 57.1 percent from the previous year, according to the ministry.

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