Fuji TV employee arrested for online casino use
Another member of staff has been referred to prosecutors.
Japan.- Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department has arrested Yoshitaka Suzuki, a 44-year-old senior employee at Fuji Television Network, over alleged illegal gambling on an offshore online casino. The action comes amid efforts to curb illegal gambling.
Suzuki, a planning manager in Fuji TV’s variety show division, is accused of repeatedly accessing Eldoah Casino, a foreign-based gambling site, via his smartphone between September 2024 and May 2025. Investigators estimate that he spent approximately ¥100m (EUR625,000), incurring personal losses of nearly ¥24m.
The suspect, based in Tokyo’s Shinagawa Ward, admitted to the charges. He said he was introduced to online gambling five years ago by a colleague and assumed his activity would remain undetected. He reportedly continued gambling even after an internal investigation.
In a statement, Fuji TV said it “takes the case seriously” and has pledged full cooperation. The Fuji TV announcer Kenta Yamamoto has been referred to prosecutors for alleged gambling on the same platform. According to the police, Yamamoto was introduced to online casino betting by Suzuki.
Japan recently approved amendments to the Basic Act on Measures against Gambling and Other Addictions to expanded prohibitions to include not only operating or promoting illegal gambling services, but also indirect endorsements such as affiliate marketing, online reviews, influencer content and Japanese-language support for offshore sites.
