According to Japanese news media, the National Police Agency (NPA) of Japan will share investigation results with relevant departments as the first step in regulating access to gambling websites and addressing gambling addiction and related issues. This is the first time the NPA has investigated offshore gambling sites.
The NPA will investigate online casino operators targeting Japanese people. It will identify the locations of these operators, the processes and trajectories of currency transactions, and the number of site visits from Japan.
The agency will also survey over 7,000 people in Japan, ranging from teenagers to people in their 70s. A report on the usage of online casinos will be compiled by the end of this year.
While some forms of gambling are allowed in Japan, online gambling remains illegal, even if the operators/service providers are legally operating overseas. There is a common misconception that gambling sites legally operating outside of Japan are also legal in Japan.
According to the Tokyo Gambling Addiction Concern Association, online casinos accounted for 20.3% of the association's consultations in 2023, an increase of 4.3% from 2019; many of whom are young people.
