Japanese lawmakers pass bill targeting illegal online gambling
Japan’s House of Representatives has passed a bill this week aimed at tightening the regulations around illegal online gambling.
The bill, which Japan’s ruling and opposition parties previously (US$0)1 JPY = 0.0070 USD
2025-06-03Powered by CMG CurrenShift-trillion/">discussed in May, targets websites that guide users to online casino sites.
Having passed through the House, it is expected to be enacted in the ongoing parliamentary session, which runs until June 22.
The backdrop to the bill, which is technically a revision of an anti-gambling-addiction law, is a series of revelations regarding the use of online casinos by celebrities and sports personalities.
A National Police Agency survey also found that more than three million people in Japan have gambled online.
While people in Japan can access several offshore casinos, these sites are not authorized to operate in Japan. The only forms of legal gambling in Japan are lottery games and wagering on publicly operated races, such as horse racing.
The bill seeks to ban the launch of online casinos in Japan and outlaw the promotion of those sites.
It also requires social media companies to remove illegal gambling-related information from their sites. Accessing illegal offshore sites can lead to substantial fines, and repeat offenders can face prison sentences of up to three years.
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