As part of a broader crackdown, police handed over 10 suspects involved in online casino gambling in Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture to prosecutors.
The police also targeted an additional 130 people nationwide.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department stated on November 26 that these individuals gambled on slot machines, roulette, and other games at Bitcasino, Sportsbet.io, and Vera & John from April 29, 2023, to September 19 of this year, trying their luck.
The suspects used cryptocurrencies for gambling. The police said that they all admitted to these charges.
The police mentioned that these three websites operate overseas and can be accessed via personal computers or smartphones.
The suspects' ages range from their 20s to over 60, including a housewife, a company employee, and a civil servant.
All of them suffered losses. The police said that one individual lost up to 30 million yen (approximately $194,000).
The police have identified about 130 more people suspected of gambling in online casinos. The police plan to take action against them in cooperation with the relevant prefectural police departments.
In Japan, online casino betting is prohibited, even if the websites are legally operated overseas.
On the social media platform X, many posts in Japanese promote casino websites.
One website claims that customers can start playing games in just 7 minutes. Another site states that there are currently over 4,000 games available.
Typically, customers only need to register their name, address, and phone number, and choose payment and withdrawal methods, such as credit cards and cryptocurrencies.
The Police Agency said that over the past five years, there have been 73 cases related to online casinos nationwide, with 566 people arrested or handed over to prosecutors.
The suspects include customers and gamblers.
This latest case is the first time that customers in different locations in China have been targeted simultaneously.
A survey released by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in August indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in online casino addiction.
A total of 19.9% of suspected gambling addicts reported that they gambled online more frequently than before the pandemic or started gambling online.
Among other respondents, 3.6% chose one of these answers.
When asked which type of gambling causes problems for those unable to quit, 7.5% of suspected gambling addicts and 11.7% of family members mentioned online casinos.
