Japanese Government Employee Gets Pay Cut for Playing Online Casino at Work

The disciplinary committee reduced the salary of a 30-year-old employee of the Environmental Protection and Agriculture Bureau of Kanagawa Prefecture by 10% for six months.

Workplace Violations

The official regularly played online casino games on his smartphone during work hours for at least six days between November 2023 and May 2024. This behavior constitutes a direct violation of the Japanese civil service code of ethics.

An internal investigation revealed that he placed bets totaling at least $350. The employee was aware that his actions were illegal but continued to gamble.

Furthermore, during discussions with management, he provided false information, claiming that he had not engaged in gambling since July 2023, which was untrue.

Repeated Disciplinary Action

This was not the first disciplinary action for the employee. In April 2023, he had already been suspended from work for 6 months for similar misconduct.

At that time, he not only engaged in gambling but also shared colleagues’ personal data with third parties, including lenders, to obtain funds for gambling.

Just five days after returning to the office following his initial suspension, the official resumed gambling at work. This indicates a systematic disregard for professional discipline and a failure to adhere to the behavioral standards expected of public servants.

Summary of Violations

Conclusion

This case highlights how strictly Japan enforces public service ethics. Gambling is strictly prohibited among government employees, especially during working hours.

Violations of these norms result in serious disciplinary measures, including salary cuts and suspension from duties.