Chinese consumers stuck at home step up spending on poker, mahjong sets this Lunar New Year holiday

New consumption patterns are emerging in China this Lunar New Year, as Beijing encourages people to stay put and not travel this Spring Festival holiday because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Consumers are once again turning to poker and mahjong to keep themselves entertained during the festive season. These games used to dominate people’s holiday agendas, as they returned home to celebrate with their families.

But over the past decade, digital advances and increasing wealth have reshaped people’s habits during this holiday, the most important of Chinese festivals. The distribution of laisee among relatives, friends, colleagues and employees has evolved from an occasional occurrence to a major activity during the week-long Lunar New Year holiday.

Along with holidays abroad by wealthy families, these practices have laid bare the fact that traditional values have been replaced by new habits amid China’s rising economic might.

The pandemic, however, might reverse this trend and give consumer spending domestically a much-needed boost. Analysts said they expected people to spend more on entertainment and leisure in the Year of the Ox, as travel bans last year had led to revenge spending.

02:34

Learn to play mahjong in 2.5 minutes

Learn to play mahjong in 2.5 minutes

“The digital economy cannot fully cater to people’s entertainment needs,” said Eric Han, a senior manager with business advisory firm Shanghai Suolei. “It is people-to-people exchanges and outdoor activities that really entertain consumers.”