Japan says it will prosecute players who use offshore gambling sites

Authorities in Japan will treat the use of illegal gambling websites as a crime.

Japan.- Players in Japan who use unlicensed offshore gambling sites under a new stricter stance adopted by authorities. Japan’s National Police Agency and Consumer Affairs Agency said that if a user connects to a foreign online casino and plays from his computer at home, he could be arrested for a minor gambling offence.

Japan thus joins China as one of the few counties that hold players accountable for participating in unregulated gambling sites. Those who assist others in accessing such offshore gambling sites can also be held accountable. The authorities announced the move with the motto, “gambling is a crime, so stay away.” 

Japan plans to liberalise land-based gaming with the launch of integrated resorts to boost tourism. The two contenders for licences for now are Osaka and Nagasaki. They both submitted IR District Development Plans that were approved by their city councils and then prefectural assemblies.

The bids were submitted in April ahead of the deadline set by the central government. In December 2020, the government outlined criteria for judging bids using a points scale of up to 1,000 for five key areas:

• The commitment of the IR to the Japanese travel industry (up to 450 points).
• The capacity to run a safe business (200 points).
• The national economic and social effects (150 points).
• Programmes to address gambling-related harm (150 points).
• The use of casino revenue for the public good (50 points).

See also: Chinese Embassy in Thailand warns about cross-border gambling