Japan Demands Eight Countries Block Online Casinos for Japanese Users
The Japanese government has sent official requests to Canada, Costa Rica, Malta, Curaçao, the Isle of Man, and Gibraltar, demanding that access to licensed online casinos be restricted for Japanese residents.
Reason for the Ban
In Japan, it is illegal to play online casinos that operate overseas, even if they are licensed in other countries. The country’s laws recognize only the following forms of gambling:
- Lotteries
- Horse race betting
- Bicycle race betting
- Motorboat race betting
- Speedway motorcycle race betting
Officials are concerned about the rise in illegal online gambling, especially after it was revealed that well-known athletes and celebrities had used such sites.
Scale of the Problem
According to police data, more than 3 million Japanese people have already played at online casinos. Annual gambling expenditures amount to about 1.24 trillion yen (approximately $8.6 billion).
An analysis of 40 sites revealed the following:
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Licensed in Curaçao | ~70% of sites |
| Sites blocking access from Japan | Only 2 out of 40 |
| Sites with traffic only from Japan | 6 |
| Sites available in Japanese | All 40 |
Which Countries Received Japan’s Request
The Japanese government approached the following countries and regions with a request to block access to online casinos for Japanese users:
- Canada
- Costa Rica
- Malta
- Georgia
- Curaçao (Netherlands)
- Isle of Man (United Kingdom)
- Gibraltar (United Kingdom)
- Anjouan Island (Comoros)
These countries and regions are known for issuing licenses to online casino operators targeting the Japanese market.
Future Steps by the Japanese Government
Japan is preparing to adopt a law that prohibits traffic redirection to online casino websites. Once enacted, the government plans to reissue its request to these eight countries.
There is also active prosecution of intermediaries and advertising agents who share links to such sites via social media and messaging apps.
Conclusion
The situation with online gambling in Japan is becoming increasingly serious. Despite holding foreign licenses, the majority of sites target Japanese users.
The new measures taken by the Japanese government are aimed at restricting access and reducing citizens’ involvement in illegal gambling activities.