Japan bans overseas online casino advertising
Japan’s national parliament has banned advertising and promotional content that directs people to overseas online casinos, as part of its crackdown on illegal gambling.
The ban was an amendment to an existing law on gambling addiction countermeasures approved by the Upper House of the legislature.
It explicitly outlaws the operation of online casino platforms and apps related to these sites within Japan and any attempts to promote overseas casinos to Japanese residents, even if those sites are legal in their home territories.
The ban, which is reportedly set to take effect in September, includes banner ads, social media posts, ranking and recommendation platforms, and other online content that provides links to overseas sites.
The amended law does not include criminal penalties, but by explicitly making it legal, it gives internet service providers and social media companies the power to remove content proactively.
The Internet Hotline Center, which monitors online content on behalf of the National Police Agency, is reportedly planning to issue takedown orders.
The National Police Agency has estimated that around 3.37 million people in Japan have wagered illegally, many of them on sites registered in territories like the Caribbean island of Curacao.
Earlier this month, the Japanese Foreign Ministry requested that a number of countries take action to prevent online casinos under their jurisdiction from targeting Japanese customers.
Dig deeper
2025/06/16: Japan asks other countries to block casino access
2025/03/24: PAGCOR orders license holder to end advertising sponsorship over integrity concerns
2025/03/25: Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration bans layover flights for POGO fugitives
2025/06/10: Massachusetts gambling official calls for stricter advertising rules
Verticals:
Sectors:
Topics:
