Japan Forwards Bill Amendment to Ban $8.7 Billion Black-Market Casinos

Japan’s government is moving toward banning online casinos throughout the islands. 

The House of Representatives already passed a bill that would amend an existing law and prohibit online gambling platforms anywhere inside the national border. The bill, which was supported by the Liberal Democratic Party and opposed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, may now be amended in the House of Councillors, the upper level of the national parliament.

If passed, the bill is expected to implement a ban in the next few weeks.

Further restrictions on the way?

A survey released in March estimated that nearly 3.4 million Japanese participate in online casino gaming. That represents about 2.7 percent of the national population, according to a 2023 census.

The nation’s online gaming community wagered about 1.24 trillion YEN, which translates to $8.7 billion, annually—close to $2,600 per person.

That’s significant since all forms of online gambling are illegal in Japan. 

The anti-online casino bill was initially presented in the middle of May after being drafted by eight political parties and parliamentary groups. The bill would not only eliminate these platforms, but it would also restrict advertisements from linking customers to them.

The sweeping changes are pertinent following a report released by the Society Concerned about Gambling Addiction in Tokyo. It showed that gambling consultations had increased at a rate of 11-to-1 from 2019 to 2024, even despite the global pandemic reducing the economic freedom of many around the world.

Parliament has until the end of its session on June 22 to approve the bill, according to The Mainichi.

Staying ahead of the illegal market

As Japan fights to regulate its illicit online gambling industry, BetBlocker has made it possible for locals to self-regulate by adding a Japanese language option.

The application was designed to help problem gamblers or gamblers who simply need help quitting by controlling (and blocking) gambling sites from their devices. Users will be banned from any gambling URLs registered in the company’s database.

The Japanese government is under additional pressure to reel in the illegal gambling market after recent events involving athletes and celebrities allegedly using online casino platforms.

Current offenders of Japan’s online casino restriction may be fined up to ($3,472). Repeat offenders could receive prison sentences of up to three years.

Anyone who wants to participate in legal gambling is limited to lotteries and specific forms of betting, including horse, boat, bicycle, and motorcycle races.

Japan legalized retail casinos in 2018. However, its first facility is not expected to open until 2030.