Minister of Japan, Hachiro Okonogi, has denied any suggestions that Japan should legalise online gambling, while he promised to crack down any illegal activities.
The question of online gambling was raised by Hiroyuki Moriyama, who asked if there were any altercations in the regulation of online gambling in Japan, while noticing the increase offshore gaming, since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Okonogi said:
“There are provisions on casino acts in the existing IR Development Act, but it does not include online casinos and they are not subject to this regulation. However, when I was asked at the Cabinet Committee last week, I answered that we would continue to take strict action as the police and Chairperson of the National Public Safety Commission.”
The reason online casinos are not subject to the ‘casino acts’ in the IR Development Act is because the first are illegal to begin with.
“There is precedent of online casinos being run in Japan, busted and tried in court.” Okonogi emphasised that crackdowns would continue and explained, “Continuing to come down on online casinos is the role of the police and Chairperson of the National Public Safety Commission. The fact is that this does not fall under the jurisdiction of the IR Development Act or the minister in charge of the Casino Management Committee.”
