Japan is set to update its gambling laws after Shigeru Ishiba‘s cabinet approved a new focus on combating addiction in the country.
At the center of the plans is an expanded crackdown on affiliates that promote gambling, the Japan Times reported.
During a press conference after discussing the new bill, Yoshitaka Ito, the minister in charge of anti-gambling measures, said, “There is good reason to believe that the number of people visiting online casino sites is increasing.” He added that he believes this is fueling the country’s gambling addiction problems.
Noriko Tanaka, representative director of the Society Concerned about Gambling Addiction, continued to call for more intensive measures on the structure around online gaming. She called on the government to legislate and tighten regulations for the area.
In addition, efforts to educate and inform businesses about the legal status of gambling and the impact of promotions will also be stepped up.
Japan currently has a strict anti-gambling framework, meaning most gambling services are illegal, despite public services such as horse racing and some motorsport betting.
The vital nature of Japan’s efforts to restrict gambling advertising was highlighted when a recent report from the National Police Agency (NPA) revealed a record number of online casino users in 2024, despite online gaming remaining illegal for Japanese citizens.
Japan recorded the highest number of online casino users and “dealers” in 2024 since police began recording statistics in 2018, with 279 players tracked and identified during the year. The NPA identified 162 online casino users in 2024, including 117 dealers, a record high for gambling statistics in the country.
According to a survey by the Tokyo-based International Casino Institute, about 2.8% of the 6,000 Japanese public surveyed said they had gambled at online casinos in the past 12 months.
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