Japan’s cabinet approved on Friday what was termed a basic strategy against gambling addiction, including online play, according to GGRAsia’s Japan correspondent.
Gambling online is illegal for Japanese, even if the online provider is legally licensed overseas, as per the country’s National Police Agency, cited in a Japan Times report from Friday, following the cabinet meeting.
The overall basic plan on gambling addiction counter measures for the three fiscal years starting with financial year 2025.
Japan is due to see MGM Osaka, the country’s first land-based integrated resort (IR) with casino, open in late 2030.
A basic law on gambling addiction counter measures took effect in October 2018. It requires the national government to establish a basic plan for the country every three years.
The act also gives prefectures an obligation to make an effort to establish a concrete plan which should reflect the national plan and the prefecture’s own situation.
An estimated 3.37 million people in Japan have gambled at online casinos, according to a survey by the National Police Agency, as reported by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. Data from the survey – said to be the country’s first on the topic – also showed that about JPY1.24 trillion (US$8.39 billion) in bets were placed annually at online gambling sites.
The national government, led by prime minister Shigeru Ishiba – who has indicated continuing support for the IR policy – mentioned three elements in its approach to tackling online gambling.
As per the cabinet-approved plan, there would be: stepped up law enforcement; publicity on the illegality of playing online casinos; a step up regarding countermeasures against access to the sites, including taking down advertisements and taking advantage of filtering technologies; and cooperation with financial service providers so that they do not deal with payments related to online casinos.
As per the Japan Times report, the online gambling crackdown includes action against payment collection agencies and the affiliates of online operators. Affiliates promote online casinos and could earn commission for each player they successfully refer to a site.
Social media advertisements to remind people online casino gambling is illegal in Japan will also be introduced, said the news outlet, citing the plan.
“There are strong indications the number of people accessing online casino sites is increasing, leading to the accompanying problem of addiction,” said Yoshitaka Ito, the minister in charge of measures to combat gambling addiction, as cited by the news outlet, based on a press conference following the cabinet meeting.
According to the National Police Agency, even if an online casino is operated legally overseas, it is still a crime to connect to it from within Japan and gamble. Those who are caught face a fine of up to JPY500,000, while ‘habitual’ gamblers can be imprisoned for up to three years, reported the Japan Times.
A number of Japanese celebrities has recently been caught up in controversy about online gambling.
In February, 14 players from seven Nippon Professional Baseball teams were found to have gambled online. Among them was Taisuke Yamaoka pitcher for the Orix Buffaloes, based in Osaka, who was found to have participated in an online poker tournament on a foreign casino website.
