Japan to criminalise players of offshore gambling sites
While online gambling is already prohibited in Japan, the government is preparing a new legal framework to strengthen the ban and outlaw related promotions.
Despite a political consensus against both regulated and unregulated online gambling, Japan’s black market continues to thrive. The government has previously targeted operators with various enforcement actions and launched large-scale awareness campaigns aimed at players—so far, with limited success.
“The National Police Agency estimates that 3.37 million people have used online casinos in Japan, with ¥1 trillion (approximately €6 billion) gambled annually,” reports the national news outlet Yomiuri Shimbun.
Criminalising the players
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), the country’s two main political forces, have announced that they are working together on a bill to reinforce the existing ban and explicitly prohibit promotional activities linked to the industry.
The bill will introduce criminal liability to the players themselves. Connecting to offshore gambling platforms—whether regulated in another jurisdiction or outright illegal—would be considered a criminal offence.
The bill also seeks to close a loophole that currently allows online gambling to be advertised on websites and social media. This includes inducement and the dissemination of gambling-related information. The government argues that the new law would also make it easier for telecommunications providers to remove posts when receiving requests from the police.
Website blocking and constitutional challenges
The government has previously explored the possibility of resorting to website blocking to deter offshore operators from targeting Japanese users. However, such measures have not received approval, as they are seen as unconstitutional in the country, violating the “right to secrecy in communications.” Except in cases involving serious crimes, such as those against children, website blocking is not permitted. Nevertheless, the government asserts that the proliferation of illegal online casinos poses a serious enough threat to warrant further action.
Legal gambling continues—with major casino opening in 2030
Not all forms of gambling are banned in Japan. Sports betting, horse racing, and lotteries are legal, while bingo remains unregulated. Moreover, Japan’s first integrated resort casino, operated by MGM Resorts, is set to open in Osaka in 2030. Construction is already underway.
