Officially speaking, gambling in Japan has been illegal since 1907, near the end of the Meiji period. During this time, of course, many “unofficial” casinos appeared in Tokyo and outside the capital, mainly operated or connected to the Yakuza, a notorious criminal organization in Japan. Although entering one of these casinos will rarely bring you trouble with the police, you need to guard your back at least.
The Criminal Code marks as illegal most ways of gambling except betting on horse racing, playing the lottery or a local game named Pachinko and certain Motorsports. Poker and online poker are banned in Japan. As in China, a possible legalization of online gambling would be a big step for Japan inhabitants, but today we ‘sadly’ must say that. As it now, gambling was outlawed in feudal Japan so the gamblers had to set up gambling houses in abandoned temple or shrines at the outskirts of villages and towns. Mostly made up of people of lower social standing and misfits of society, the Yakuza’s name means “8-9-3.” This is a losing hand in Oicho-Kabu, a type of blackjack. Illegal gambling Yakuza are known to operate illegal casinos in Japan. In addition to traditional casino games, Mahjong can be played for money and many mahjong parlors have ties with the Yakuza to assist collecting debt from players who default.
Gambling in Japan has been strictly prohibited and regulated since Chapter 23 of the Criminal Code, also known as Law No.45 of the Japan Penal Code, which explicitly prohibits organized betting or private sale of lottery tickets - with heavy Yen fines and imprisonment as detention.
According to many sources, casino legalization will finally take place in 2020, after liberal movements have risen. Liberals support this idea because they think that by legalizing casinos, the country will have a huge boost to the economy and tourism. The rules will still be strict, but nonetheless, they think this is a step forward.
Japan's Gambling Culture
Players sign up for web casinos because they can play for bigger bonuses and often higher chances of winning. There are even sites dedicated to helping the curious navigate the wealth of online Japanese casinos. As a subsidiary of internet gaming, mobile gambling has also risen in popularity in Japan.
Online casinos in Japan have become especially popular since COVID-19, and while they are also illegal in Japan, players are using offshore online casinos with servers hosted in other country.
The Future of Gambling in Japan
With one of the highest deficits in the modern world, Japan desperately needs another source of income to help its financial recovery. Many believe the government will reverse a century’s worth of legislation to introduce Western-style gambling to the masses in the next few years, paving the way for gambling to become a more open and inclusive hobby. If licenses for physical casinos are successfully issued, the country could also expand it to online casinos. read more