Online Casinos And Japanese Law
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Betting on a foreign online casino from Japan is a criminal act, even if the overseas gambling site is licensed in its own country. Japanese law treats the player, not just the operator, as engaging in criminal gambling. Moreover, the Japanese government has just banned the domestic operation and promotion of online casinos.
Under Japan's Penal Code, an individual committing the act of gambling — the act of betting — is the person committing the crime, even if the gambling operation is based in another country. The National Police Agency directly warns on its website that "Even if an online casino is operating legally in a foreign country, participating on that casino from Japan constitutes a crime."
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On 25 September 2025, a revision to the Basic Act on Measures against Gambling Addiction came into force. The revision criminalizes the act of disseminating information via the internet within Japan that urges unspecified persons to participate in online gambling.
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The law also bans the operation of an online casino site or app in Japan. Advertisements and information that entice people to online casinos are now also illegal.
The amended act specifically obliges the national and local governments to increase public awareness about the criminality of online gambling. National Police Agency guidelines clarify that the rule extends to websites and other platforms that provide venues for illegal gambling, and to any information that directs people to those activities.
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## What remains legal Japan allows certain forms of gambling, including four public racing sports, the football lottery, and the national lottery.
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The country also permits integrated resort casinos, which are resort complexes that include casino facilities, under a separate legal framework. However, as of 2026, no integrated resort casino had yet opened in Japan.
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Broader scope to the 2025 revision
The new revision extends beyond the gambling operators themselves. It targets information that induces people to take part in illegal online gambling, such as websites or social media posts directing people to gambling providers. The law's supporters say it is crucial to stop the dissemination of such material.
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The 2025 revision specifies that any online information accessible from Japan that tells people how to access a gambling site or app for the purpose of enabling gambling to take place is subject to the ban. The law requires that public warnings are provided about the criminalization of online gambling. Both national and local authorities are tasked with the responsibility to inform the people about the illegal nature of online gambling.
Takeaway for readers
In summary, a person based in Japan who takes part in any online casino betting from Japan, on a domestic or foreign website, is legally committing a crime. The new 2025 revision has made it illegal to set up or operate an online casino site or app in Japan, and to advertise or disseminate information linking people to online gambling anywhere. Online gambling accessed from Japan remains at odds with Japanese law, and remain outside this scope.
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