The new legislation came into force today.
Japan.- New legislation came into effect today prohibiting online casinos and gambling-related advertising across digital platforms, including social media. The framework cleared parliament in June.
Operators, website administrators, and social media companies must remove gambling promotions when ordered by authorities. The measure extends to celebrity endorsements, affiliate websites, and ranking platforms that direct Japanese users to overseas gambling operators. National and local governments are now required to carry out awareness campaigns to highlight the illegality and the risks associated with online gambling.
A survey by the National Police Agency (NPA) earlier this year estimated that 3.37 million people in the country have engaged in online casino play, with nearly 60 per cent in their 20s and 30s. Authorities estimate that wagers placed annually reach about ¥1.24tr (US$8.4bn), much of it on offshore platforms licensed in jurisdictions such as Curaçao, Malta and Gibraltar but illegal to use from within Japan.
“The official number announced by the NPA and the health ministry on the number of deaths in relation to gambling debts is 398,” said Noriko Tanaka, head of the Society Concerned about Gambling Addiction. “But it is said that only 20 per cent of suicides have their causes identified,” she added, suggesting that the true figure could be significantly higher.
Recent scandals involving public figures have intensified political pressure. Earlier this year, prosecutors indicted a member of boy band JO1 and six comedians from entertainment agency Yoshimoto Kogyo over illegal online gambling, underscoring the reach of the problem even among celebrities.
The new legislation came into force today. Japan.- New legislation came into effect today prohibiting online casinos and gambling-related advertising across digital platforms, including social media. The framework cleared parliament…
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