Japan: 31 arrested in raid on baccarat casino in Osaka

Police say they arrested 29 employees and a customer.

Japan.- The Osaka Prefectural Police say they have arrested 29 employees and a customer in a raid on an illegal baccarat casino. The alleged manager, Hiroki Morichika, aged 41, is said to have operated the businesses from a rented building in Osaka’s Minami area.

According to police reports, the casino was operational 24 hours a day on the third and fourth floors of the building, concealed within a hidden room accessible only through a double-door entrance. To gain access, customers were required to undergo facial recognition checks via a security camera before the door would unlock. Officers said the minimum betting amount was 30,000 yen.

According to Japan Today, the operation was set in motion after the arrest of a male customer on suspicion of engaging in illegal gambling on Saturday (September 30). This arrest prompted a raid on Sunday. Some customers reportedly evaded capture by fleeing via a concealed staircase.