A bill that will strengthen measures against online casino sites was passed on Wednesday by a majority vote of the governing and opposition parties represented in the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of Japan’s parliament.
On June 2 the lower chamber, the House of Representatives, had given its assent to the bill.
The measure is a revision of the Basic Act on Countermeasures against Gambling Addiction.
The revised law will be promulgated by the end of this month and will come into effect three months after that, according to the Jiji Press news agency.
It stipulates that it is illegal to open and operate online casino sites and software applications in Japan.
The law also calls on the central government and local authorities to make the public aware that gambling using online casinos is illegal.
A survey by the National Police Agency estimated 3.37 million people in Japan had gambled with online casinos. Gambling online is illegal for Japanese, even if the online provider is legally licensed overseas, as per the country’s authorities.
The Sankei news outlet reported on Wednesday that the revised law prohibits so-called ‘reach sites’ that in effect market online casinos and spread information about them on social media.
According to the report, the revised act prohibits information distribution on the Internet which might induce people to go to online casinos. It classifies such information as illegal, and encourages Internet service providers and social networking site operators to delete it, to prevent Japanese consumers from accessing such material.
According to Sankei, while many online casinos may be legally operated from overseas, accessing them within Japan and betting money on them, falls under the heading of gambling crime under the country’s Criminal Code.
On Tuesday, Japanese media reported that eight countries and territories have been asked by Japan to prevent online gambling operators licensed in their respective jurisdictions from providing services to residents of Japan.
The steps against online gambling come as Japan counts down to the launch of MGM Osaka, the country’s first land-based integrated resort (IR) with casino, due open in late 2030. A ground breaking ceremony for the complex was held in April.
