Japan has formally enforced new restrictions on online gambling, banning the launch of new online casinos and introducing sweeping limits on advertising.
The measures are part of an updated gambling addiction law aimed at curbing the rise of gambling-related harm, particularly among young people.
The legislation, which took effect on Sept. 25, requires social media platforms and website operators to take down gambling ads when ordered by authorities. It also obliges national and local governments to boost awareness campaigns highlighting the illegality of online gambling.
Noriko Tanaka, head of the Society Concerned about Gambling Addiction, stressed the law’s social importance, citing data on gambling-linked suicides. “The official number announced by the NPA (National Police Agency) and the health ministry on the number of deaths in relation to gambling debts is 398. But it is said that only 20 percent of suicides have their causes identified.”
Tanaka added that gambling promotions are easily accessible on platforms like YouTube and even banking apps.
Japanese authorities tighten controls amid billions wagered
The crackdown follows a surge in online casino activity. A National Police Agency survey found that around 60 percent of Japan’s 3.37 million online gamblers are in their 20s and 30s, with an estimated ¥1.24 trillion ($8.4 billion) wagered annually.
Recent scandals accelerated the urgency for reform. Earlier this year, six comedians from Yoshimoto Kogyo and a member of the pop group JO1 were prosecuted for involvement in illegal online gambling.
Law enforcement has already begun applying the new rules. Japanese police arrested two men, including an Osaka company executive, for running a site called Onkaji Hissho that promoted overseas casinos.
Authorities said the operators earned commissions from a Curacao-based platform, with roughly 670 gamblers transferring about ¥70 billion in cryptocurrency to play games such as slots and blackjack.
The website also sold “winning strategy” tutorials and charged members ¥10,000 for access to private Discord tips. Officials said the operators misled users by claiming both they and gamblers would profit, regardless of outcomes.
With the revised law in force, Japan has signaled a tougher stance on digital gambling promotion, targeting not only operators but also those profiting from advertising illegal platforms.
