It’s no secret that gambling has been a highly popular pastime in Japan for many years. In fact, the country is renowned for being the birthplace of pachinko, an arcade game that has many devotees – not just in Japan but around the world. While it is not technically legal to gamble for money in Japan – not even on pachinko – there are numerous pachinko parlours dotted around Japan, many of them also featuring classic slot machines.
Sports betting is also popular in Japan, particularly betting on racehorses. There are several tracks located throughout the country, and approximately 21,000 races are held each year, with the pinnacle of the sport being the Japan Cup.
The crucial question of casinos
Gambling at casinos, however, is another matter. The Japanese government made all forms of casino gambling illegal, until recently, when the first brick-and-mortar casinos were tentatively slated for approval.
However, this hasn’t stopped the general population from enjoying their casino games. According to research, online gambling is going from strength to strength in Japan, revealing that, while the Government may still hold a negative view, the Japanese people are enthusiastic about the entertainment that online casinos provide. Approximately 2 million people in Japan currently play online casino games, although online betting on horse racing is still dramatically higher, at around 5 million.
Currently, Japanese language gambling operators such as the Kakekko Rin Rin casino and many others have had to receive licenses from external organisations, due to Japanese gambling regulations. This is due to the fact that, while gambling at land-based integrated resort casinos is now permitted, online casino operators are still not allowed in the domestic sphere. The only organisations permitted to offer online gambling in the country are the Japanese Lottery and the Japanese Racing Association.
Will Japanese-based online casinos become legal?
The unfortunate fact of the matter for any would-be online casinos within the country is that it may take some time before domestic online gambling becomes legalised. In recent weeks, the new Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, has been bullish in his approach to online casinos, declaring that online gambling will not be tolerated. He also revealed that several government ministries were dedicated to policing online gambling and declared that his country’s authorities could not “allow illegal organisations to expand.”
Nevertheless, with online casino games proving so popular with the Japanese people, it seems possible that legal reforms could be on the cards in coming years.
Accessing online casino games in Japan
Of course, while Japanese online casinos still cannot operate within Japan, many online casinos from other countries happily accept Japanese players and Japanese currency. Although the government does its best to discourage online gambling, and even tries to prevent people from accessing these sites, modern technology has allowed Japanese gamblers to find a way around government restrictions.
In fact, many foreign casino sites are so accommodating to Japanese players that they even offer Japanese-language versions of their sites to ensure a pleasant, smooth, and straightforward playing experience for Japanese gamblers. For now, these foreign operators will gain the full benefit of the Japanese fondness for online casino games, until the legislation is changed and Japanese-based online casinos can finally start welcoming players in their own right.
