Japanese online casino platforms are famous for their use of graphics and user interfaces. Despite strict laws and regulations, the online casino market in Japan is expanding, and now several overseas casino heads are also stepping into the Japanese online gambling market. A huge group of Japanese people love to play online games in Japanese casinos.
Still, it should also be considered what kind of laws and regulations the country has to regulate the activities of all Japanese online gaming and gambling platforms. There are several options available for Japanese players as there are several platforms that are made in Japan, along with some other platforms that offer a gambling experience to players across Asia and even across the globe. To choose the perfect online casino for Japanese players, players must know about the rules and regulations that the country has for players.
Gambling in Japan: Is it legal?
Japan is a strict country when it comes to gambling and money laundering. The Japanese government usually never supports these kinds of activities. The gambling options that are most famous across the globe were completely banned in Japan. The only options for gambling games that people in Japan had were Pachinko, lottery tickets, and some types of sports betting, especially horse races. The scenario changed a bit after 2010 when the Japanese government noticed that if they allowed some kind of gambling activities, it would not only be great for people who want to gamble within the territory of Japan but also it could be great for the Japanese government as well. It encouraged the growth of resort-style casinos.
However, as in this article, we are willing to discuss the laws that are related to online gambling in Japan, and we will continue with the topic. The question, “is online gambling legal in Japan?” is quite tricky to answer. There are several laws and restrictions in Japan related to online gambling as well. The issue here is that the laws that are related to the activities of the online gambling market in Japan are not directly related to individuals, but they are related to corporates. For example, local corporations cannot access any kind of online gambling platform in the territory of the country.
Many experts have elaborated on the laws related to Japanese online casinos, but sometimes the explanations get contradictory. In simple terms, gambling and money laundering are banned in the country, and if we see the scenario from this vision, online gambling is also banned. But again, Japanese online gambling laws are related to corporates, not to individuals.
According to some explanations, players can gamble on all those platforms that corporations do not operate in the geographical territory of the country, which directly means that playing on multinational or multi-region platforms can be completely safe. If any player is caught playing on an online gambling platform built and accessed by any local corporation within the territory of Japan, it can cause legal issues.
Not only that, but while playing on any multinational online gambling platform, players also need to ensure that those platforms hold proper egaming licenses and are legal in other regions. Recently, Japan’s National Police Agency (NPA) and Consumer Affairs Agency issued a warning where it is said that gambling on any online gambling platform as long as the site is not operated legally overseas is not legal.
Despite this explanation, we can see that several Japanese online gambling platforms thrive within the country’s territory and attract players from other regions. The Japanese online gambling market was valued at US$ 6.7 Billion in 2021, and according to the experts, the market size can be even bigger in the upcoming years as there is no visible way for the downtime of the market. It indicates the success of Japanese online casinos.
Final thoughts
There are several platforms that are legal overseas and also offer amazing gambling experiences to the players playing on those platforms. The list of names includes 22bet, Betway, Spin Casino, Europa Casino, etc. Make sure to go through all the license platforms hold before signing up to avoid any kind of legal hazards.
