Japan’s House of Representatives has passed a bill banning online casinos and criminalizing websites and advertisements.
In recent months, Japan has stepped up its efforts to crack down on illegal online casinos by implementing stricter legislation. Currently, the country is estimated to have around 3.4 million gamblers.
On Tuesday (3), the House of Representatives approved a bill that specifically aims to crack down on websites that promote or link users to online casino platforms.
The bill was approved by a majority vote and with the support of the Liberal Democratic Party, as well as the main opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
New law bans the launch of casino platforms
The move comes amid growing concern over the rise of unauthorized online casinos, especially after a series of reports of people having problems with the game.
A government-backed survey in March found that more than 3.3 million people in Japan played online casino games. The survey was conducted by the National Police Agency. From that, Japanese people spent about ¥1.24 trillion ($8.7 billion) annually on the sites.
While online casinos are legal in other countries, Japanese law prohibits them.
However, the fact that they are easily accessible via smartphones has quickly made them the preferred choice for a large number of players, especially those looking for ways to get around local restrictions.
The revised legislation amends the current law. It aims to combat online gambling addiction while introducing a series of new rules to veto the promotion and facilitation of such platforms.
The new bill does not allow the launch of casino websites, and it also criminalizes any form of online communication that encourages users to visit them. The list includes all types of advertisements and posts that promote these platforms.
The proposal also puts pressure on social media companies and online platform providers, urging them to remove illegal content that could serve as a gateway for gambling activities.
Punishments
According to the Japanese Penal Code, individuals caught gambling at online casinos within the country face fines of up to ¥500,000 ($3,500).
At the same time, repeat offenders may even face prison sentences, with punishments of up to three years in prison, according to the same code.
Currently, legal gambling in the country is strictly limited to state-run lotteries and some forms of racing betting, including betting on horses, bicycles, boats and motorcycles. The bill is expected to be approved by the upper house before the current parliamentary session ends on June 22.
