Celebrities and members of the sports world, among others, have suddenly found themselves in the crosshairs of the police for using their smartphones to access online casinos.
What many do not realize is that this form of gambling is illegal in Japan, even if the operator is based overseas.
The issue most recently came to a head on Feb. 15 after Kuruma Takahira, part of the comic duo Reiwa Roman, admitted on his YouTube channel that he had used an online casino.
“I used online casinos without realizing it is illegal to do so,” he said.
Tokyo police questioned Takahira, as well as fellow members of the talent agency Yoshimoto Kogyo Co., which represents many of the nation’s best-known comics.
Police have also questioned Taisuke Yamaoka, 29, a pitcher with the Orix Buffaloes about taking part in a poker tournament through an online casino.
The table tennis player Koki Niwa, 30. received a summary indictment for his involvement.
The National Police Agency has been cracking down on online casinos, even those operated abroad, on grounds they are used as a revenue source by criminal groups.
The NPA detained 279 individuals last year, more than double the 107 of the previous year.
The increase is due to growing smartphone usage to access online casinos and police crackdowns.
Obtaining evidence about online casino operators can be difficult if they are based in nations where the activity is legal. For that reason, police are cracking down on Japanese companies that settle the financial transaction on behalf of the online casino operators.
A survey carried out between last August and September by the Tokyo-based Kokusai Casino Kenkyujo (International casino research institute) found that 2.8 percent of 6,000 individuals in Japan had used an online casino within the past year. It represented an increase of 1.2 percentage points from 2021. Most of those who used online casinos were under 40.
Takashi Kiso, who heads the organization, says there is a clear link between smartphone usage and online casinos, particularly among young people. He also noted that many casino sites claim to be safe.
Until last year, ads publicizing free use of online casinos for a limited period began popping up all over the place. That, according to the police, led to a surge of interest.
A group that helps to wean people off gambling addiction said it has received more consultations in recent years from family members concerned that a loved one is using online casinos.
In 2019, the Society Concerned about the Gambling Addiction received only eight inquiries about online casinos. But last year, that number shot up to 91.
The group has identified 110 online casinos that have a Japanese language version, with some using celebrities to publicize their site.
Noriko Tanaka, the group head, said, “Strengthened regulations, such as introducing technology in Japan to block access to such sites, would be helpful.”
(This article was written by Daichi Itakura and Shun Yoshimura.)
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