A Chinese man who 16 months ago allegedly went on a stabbing spree and tried to torch a game room before hijacking and crashing a taxicab was charged by Hongkou District prosecutors Tuesday on suspicion of arson, intentional injury, and reckless driving.

Authorities filed criminal charges against the 30-year-old suspect, identified only as Wang, for the incident, which occurred on May 6, 2013.

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Wang started rampaging through the game room after losing almost 20,000 yuan, or US$3,250, while gambling, police said.

When Wang asked the owner to return 5,000 yuan to him, he was given 2,500 yuan and told to leave.

Frustrated, Wang left, but later returned with a knife and a bowl of gasoline, which he used to try to spark a fire over the gaming tables.

After an employee attempted to stop him, Wang, who also was said to suffer from depression, lost it. He stabbed the clerk and fled the scene.

Wang seized a cab and later crashed into another taxi and a bicycle. After being trapped inside the vehicle, he was soon arrested by police.

The court is set to decide whether he will be sentenced to spend his life in prison or in a mental treatment facility.

Gambling is legal in China although that doesn't mean it's not a problem. Several reports of gambling-related deaths have been reported in 2014 alone.

During the World Cup season, several reports of suicide due to gambling problems were reported, including that of a 32-year-old woman who lit herself up after losing over 100,000 yuan, or US$16,000.

According to People.com, the woman lost her bets and was deeply buried in debt before her husband settled them for her.

Hoping to hit a lucky strike, she borrowed another 100,000 yuan to bet on other World Cup matches, but to no avail.

She was found dead in a hotel restroom on June 27 after she lit charcoal and inhaled the fumes.

A few weeks before that death, a college student who lost more than US$3,000 was reported to have committed suicide by jumping from a building in Panyu, Guangdong Province.

Tagsgambling, World Cup 2014, gambling deaths, gambler, crime, China crime, gambling rooms