Published on: September 16, 2025, 01:14h.
Updated on: September 16, 2025, 01:14h.
- Japan is urging other nations to prevent access to online gambling platforms within its borders.
- Although online gambling is prohibited in Japan, it remains widely available.
Despite the ban on online gambling in Japan, the nation faces a significant issue with internet-based betting addiction.
While Japan recently legalized casino gambling, the first major gaming resort, MGM Osaka—a project worth $8.9 billion—has yet to launch. Legally accepted gaming options include pachinko, public betting on horse and motorsport events, and regional lotteries.
Although online gambling is outlawed by Japan’s National Diet, it remains a lucrative sector, with many Japanese residents accessing numerous online casinos based in jurisdictions such as Malta and the Isle of Man.
Although Japanese internet service providers have complied with governmental requests to block specific gambling sites, the growing list of illicit iGaming platforms proves impossible to entirely eliminate.
Consequently, Tokyo’s officials are reaching out to overseas gaming authorities, requesting stronger measures to prevent these sites from catering to gamblers in Japan.
Japan’s Request for Assistance
In June, Japan reinforced its anti-online gambling laws, explicitly prohibiting websites and applications from facilitating unauthorized gambling activities within the country. The revision of the Basic Act on Measures Against Gambling also heightened penalties for those managing unregulated gambling businesses.
Given that most websites operate from outside Japan, these companies face significant challenges in legal prosecution for allowing access to their platforms within the country. To enhance law enforcement, officials have reportedly contacted regulatory bodies in Canada, Costa Rica, Georgia, Malta, Anjouan, Curacao, the Isle of Man, and Gibraltar, urging them to prevent their licensed iGaming operators from servicing Japanese clients.
The use of VPNs, or virtual private networks, raises additional concerns for Japan. VPNs allow users to mask their actual location, commonly facilitating access to legal online casinos for individuals in jurisdictions where iGaming is banned.
Future of Casino Bidding in Japan
In 2018, Japan’s Diet approved the construction of three integrated casino resorts. Now, over seven years later, progress has resulted in only a single casino under development.
Two additional casino licenses remain ungranted. Recent rumors reported by Casino.org hinted that Japan might initiate a second round of bidding, requiring prefectures to signal their intent to host a substantial integrated resort casino.
Aside from Osaka, Nagasaki Prefecture was the only other location to submit a proposal. Casinos Austria proposed a $3 billion plan for a large-scale casino resort at the Huis Ten Bosch theme park in Sasebo, but the bid was declined by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism in December 2023 due to financial concerns.
Japan previously attracted significant interest from the world’s largest casino operators, including Las Vegas Sands, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts, and Melco Resorts. However, the protracted legislative process in finalizing regulatory frameworks led many major players to withdraw from the emerging market.
To mitigate problem gambling, Japan has instituted an entrance fee for its casinos. Residents must pay ¥6,000 (approximately US$41) for 24-hour access, a measure aimed at controlling gambling issues among its population.