Japan is taking serious steps to crack down on online gambling. Lawmakers in the House of Representatives have passed a bill that would ban the operation and promotion of online casino websites in the country. The proposed changes revise existing legislation aimed at tackling gambling addiction and are expected to pass into law by the end of the current parliamentary session, which ends June 22.
Good to know
- Websites cannot promote or link to online casino platforms.
- Playing on overseas-based online casinos is still illegal in Japan.
- Police estimate over 3 million Japanese residents have gambled online.
Under the new rules, building or running an online casino site from within Japan will be strictly prohibited. The law will also make it a criminal offense to guide users to these platforms through social media or other websites. It even instructs major platforms to remove content that promotes or links to such casinos.
Although many online casinos operate legally overseas, they are not authorized in Japan. Participating in these services from within Japan already violates domestic law. Offenders can be fined up to ¥500,000, while repeat offenses can lead to prison terms of up to three years under the Penal Code.
The move follows rising concerns around the social impact of online gambling. A recent government survey estimates that 3.37 million people in Japan have used online casinos. Annual spending on these platforms is estimated at around ¥1.24 trillion, or roughly $8.7 billion. The issue drew further public attention after several athletes and entertainers were linked to illegal gambling activity online.
If the law is enacted as expected, it will give Japanese authorities more tools to take down illegal online operations and limit the spread of gambling content on the internet. For now, the focus shifts to the House of Councillors, where the bill is expected to pass before the end of June.
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