The Japanese government has launched a new plan to stop the spread of illegal online gambling. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s Cabinet approved the plan. It enforces stricter rules on payment collection services and affiliate marketers promoting offshore gambling sites.
Officials are intensifying efforts to prevent addiction and enforce gambling laws as online gambling grows in Japan. The government’s plan aims to raise public awareness. It urges businesses to remove online casino ads and launches social media campaigns to remind people that online gambling is illegal.
The Japan Times reported that minister in charge of gambling addiction measures of Japan, Yoshitaka Ito stressed the need to discuss the problem. He highlighted a significant rise in the number of people using illegal online casino sites. The NPA or National Police Agency just put out a report. It estimates about 3.37 million Japanese residents have gambled online by foreign-run platforms. 1.97 million of these are active users. They bet around ¥1.2 trillion ($8 billion) yearly. The rise in illegal betting has led to several high-profile scandals involving sports stars and celebrities. Olympic table tennis medalist Koki Niwa was fined ¥100,000 ($670) in early 2025 for online gambling. Meanwhile, professional baseball players from different Nippon Professional Baseball teams were caught doing the same thing.
The issue goes beyond just sports. Police force of Tokyo is looking into numerous comedians tied to the Yoshimoto Kogyo talent agency. They suspect these comedians took part in online gambling. Kuruma Takahira, a member of the well-known Reiwa Roman duo, admitted to the allegations. On social media, he said sorry.
