Casinos are a hot topic worldwide, and Japan is no exception. While gambling is not expressly illegal in Japan, there are few casinos and much stricter regulations than in neighbouring countries like Macau and South Korea.
This blog post will explore the current legal landscape of gambling in Japan and answer some frequently asked questions about casino legalisation. So, stay tuned for updates on this ever-changing issue!
History of Gambling in Japan
The history of gambling in Japan is quite interesting, and many might not believe that it wasn’t always illegal. According to historians, Emperor Tenmu actually enjoyed a game very similar to backgammon, which involved dice named ban-sugoroku or double-six. However, the game was banned when Empress Jito took over the throne.
Then again, it was also during this period that other forms of gambling became popular. Professional gamblers, otherwise known as bakuto, became common, and violence associated with gambling increased. Because of this, nine edicts were created that made gambling illegal in the 13th century, with the penalty for commoners being death. However, the upper class of samurais were allowed to gamble.
Fast forward to 1718, and many gambling games were legal again, such as chobo-ichi, oome-kome, shishita, and many more, as long as the bets were under 50 mon. It wasn’t until 1907 that gambling was finally made illegal, shortly after Western-style casino games made their way to Japan, and gambling was becoming a big problem.
Are There Gambling Venues in Japan?
Now that you have a better idea of the history of gambling in Japan, you might still be wondering if gambling venues are allowed in Japan. The answer to that is sort of, which will be discussed more in-depth later.
To answer the question simply: no, there are no casinos in Japan, although an Act was passed in 2018 that made casinos legal to specific licensed private entities and only in specifically chosen locations. This is because the Japanese government is planning on building integrated resorts.
When plans for integrated resorts were first announced, many cities in Japan were competing for the opportunity to have the resorts built there, and many foreign investors and existing international casinos showed a lot of interest in becoming part of the project. More indebted info on Japan future casino resort can be found here; however, the resorts themselves have many facilities, such as theatres, aquariums, shopping malls, and casinos.
One of the main reasons these integrated resorts have not been built yet is COVID-19. Then again, the plans are still in action for the resorts to be built. The estimated date for the resorts to be built is rumored to be around 2025.
Can Japanese Players Visit Online Casinos?
If physical casinos are illegal in Japan, many people question whether Japanese players can visit online casinos. The short answer to this question is yes, Japanese players can visit online casinos, as long as they are using a VPN and the online casinos aren’t based in Japan. This is because even though there isn’t any specific legislation related to online casinos or online gambling, it is still considered to be gambling, which is illegal.
The good news for Japanese players is that authorities are more focused on finding and shutting down illegal online gambling sites within Japan itself. Just remember that this doesn’t mean that authorities haven’t found and arrested citizens for gambling on international sites.
How Do Japanese Players Gamble?
Finally, a big question many ask is, “just how do Japanese players gamble?” Well, there are many forms of legal gambling in Japan, such as horse race betting, bicycle racing betting, powerboat betting, motorcycle betting, and more.
However, the most popular form of betting in Japan has to be pachinko. Pachinko is a game that is very similar to slots, and while it’s technically considered to be an arcade game, players trade the tokens they win for actual money. Currently, there are millions of pachinko machines and thousands of pachinko parlours.
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