Japan is advancing a legislative proposal to crack down on illegal online casinos following a recent agreement between the ruling and opposition parties. The bill, which aims to revise the nation’s laws on gambling addiction countermeasures, is expected to be submitted during the current Diet session.
The agreement, reached after a working-level consultation on Thursday, lays the foundation for a bill that will prohibit the operation and promotion of online casino platforms in Japan. If enacted, the legislation will also ban advertisements linking to online casino sites and restrict promotion of these platforms through social media and other digital channels.
The bill is set to be introduced by the chairperson of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Cabinet as early as this month, with strong indications that it could pass into law before the end of the current Diet session. Its primary goal is to close existing loopholes and explicitly define online casino activities as illegal under Japanese law.
Additionally, the revised bill will grant law enforcement increased authority to remove illegal advertisements and posts from the internet. It also mandates public awareness campaigns by central and local governments to inform citizens of the legal status of online casinos. However, the absence of penalty provisions might complicate enforcement efforts.
The draft bill was prepared following consultations involving eight political parties and parliamentary groups, including the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Komeito, and opposition groups such as the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), Japan Innovation Party, Democratic Party for the People, Japanese Communist Party, Reiwa Shinsengumi, and Yushi no Kai. All parties involved have committed to finalizing internal procedures by the end of the month to enable swift submission to the committee.
A significant concern driving the legislation is the widespread use of illegal online casinos in Japan. A survey conducted by the National Police Agency, released in March, revealed that approximately 3.37 million people in Japan have accessed online casino sites, with total wagers reaching a staggering ¥1.2 trillion annually. The majority of users are young, with 31% of participants in their 20s and 27% in their 30s, suggesting that many individuals are engaging with these platforms unaware of their illegality.
In response to this growing issue, the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry has recently formed an expert panel to explore deterrent measures. One proposal under consideration includes the forced blocking of connections to online casino websites.
While online casinos are legal in some other countries, their use from within Japan remains prohibited under the national Penal Code, which criminalizes gambling activities. With the new bill and accompanying measures, the Japanese government hopes to strengthen its efforts against the burgeoning illegal online gambling industry and protect its citizens—particularly younger generations—from the risks associated with gambling addiction.