Japanese police arrest nine people over alleged offshore gambling payment operation
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The suspects allegedly recruited people through social media to obtain bank accounts.
Japan.- Police have detained nine people accused of operating a payment network that allegedly enabled people in Japan to gamble on overseas online casino websites. Those arrested by Saitama and Aichi prefectural police include Yuta Suzuki, who is accused of being a senior member of the payment processing organisation Tenmei.
According to investigators, the suspects allegedly recruited people through social media to obtain bank accounts, which were then used to process gambling-related transactions to offshore online casinos. This allowed people to place bets despite Japan’s prohibition on online gambling. The investigation focused on six customers who allegedly used the system repeatedly between Jan. 4 and April 13, 2025.
Officers claim to have uncovered a large-scale payment centre in an apartment in Tokyo’s Ota Ward, where about 200 computers were installed to allegedly process transactions 24 hours a day. Authorities estimate that the network handled about ¥340bn (US$2.1bn) in gambling transactions and generated up to ¥10.3bn (US$64m) in processing fees.
Under Japanese law, residents are prohibited from placing bets with overseas online casinos, including if those gambling platforms are licensed in other jurisdictions. Police said efforts to trace the money trail remain ongoing.
The suspects allegedly recruited people through social media to obtain bank accounts. Japan.- Police have detained nine people accused of operating a payment network that allegedly enabled people in Japan to gamble on overseas online casino websites. Those arrested by Saitama and Aichi prefectural police include Yuta Suzuki, who is accused of being a senior…
