Japanese Experts Warn of Online Gambling Epidemic
Japan is exploring new legislation to rein in the rise of illegal online casino use in the country, as local experts and media are warning of a growing “gambling epidemic”.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The issue has come under increased scrutiny after a series of scandals involving celebrities, which exposed how little the public understands the legality of live online casinos.
Though most gambling is prohibited in Japan, the government allows tightly regulated betting on horse racing, cycling, and the lottery, which helps fund public services. Meanwhile, underground gambling, once controlled by organized crime, has diminished in recent years, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which made in-person gaming less accessible.
Historically, gambling has been very tightly controlled by the government as it was a very important source of income and they wanted to monopolise betting. But things changed during the pandemic and the emergence of online gambling meant that the government lost control.
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As land based casinos shut down, online gambling sites quickly filled the gap. Ishizuka explained that for young people especially, these platforms offered a convenient outlet during lockdowns, with many unaware they were engaging in illegal activity.
He explained that it has been “really easy” for young people to gamble over the last few years. However, he added that, “Unfortunately, the gambling sites were linked with credit cards so while it was easy to start, it was very quickly very, very expensive.”
According to Japan’s National Police Agency, roughly 3.37 million people have used online casinos, spending an estimated 1.24 trillion yen (US$8.7 billion) annually. Most users are in their 20s and 30s. While 40% of respondents in a recent study said they didn’t know it was illegal, 60% admitted they felt some level of addiction.
Celebrity Gamblers Causing Public Concern
Celebrity involvement has further fueled public concerns. Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter for MLB star Shohei Ohtani, was sentenced in the U.S. to nearly five years in prison after stealing close to US$17 million from Ohtani to cover his gambling debts. In Japan, 16 professional baseball players were found to have used illegal online betting sites, though only one, Taisuke Yamaoka of the Orix Buffaloes, has been publicly identified.
Adding to the controversy, six comedians from Osaka’s Yoshimoto Kogyo talent agency are facing prosecution for gambling offenses. One admitted to wagering more than 50 million yen.
This all led to an editorial in The Sankei Shimbun that declared that Japan was in the grip of a “gambling epidemic,” calling for harsher penalties and stronger online enforcement.
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