A record number of online casino users have been identified in Japan

Although gambling is illegal in Japan, the country has identified a record number of online casino users.

According to The Japan News, which cites the National Police Agency, a total of 279 online casino users have been identified by police last year during a preliminary investigation.

This number, which is the highest figure since 2018, when the police first began keeping track of these statistics, is said to have raised concerns over gambling on overseas sites.

This has been illegal in this island country in East Asia since the passing of the Penal Code in 1907. When this went through, several forms of gambling were banned. Despite this, there are said to be a number of online casinos overseas that offer services in Japanese.

If someone is found to be using an online casino, the crime could see people faced with a fine of up to ¥500,000. For those who habitually gamble, the consequences could be higher with the potential of up imprisonment for up to three years.

Within this report, it states that estimations are that more than three million people in Japan are gambling online and it’s believed that many of them are unaware that using the service is illegal in the country.

While the service may be offered by an overseas company, it is still illegal for people in Japan to take part in this activity.

The National Police Agency is now reported to be cracking down on payment agency service operators. It’s said that these operators can offer services like exchanging yen for points which can be used on gambling sites.

In previous years, there have been a number of discussions in the media about the future of this issue in the country. A couple of years ago, it was thought that a long-awaited legalization of casino gaming could be taking place but this was then met with delays and setbacks.

This came after a bill was approved in July of 2018 by Japanese lawmakers that officially allows casinos in the country. The public opinion on this has been split, with it having caused controversy at the time.

In April of 2023, the BBC reported that Japanese officials had approved plans to build the country’s first gambling resort with the complex to open in Osaka in 2029.

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