Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
The National Police Agency in Tokyo
1:00 JST, September 27, 2025
Eight overseas online casino sites are no longer accessible from Japan, Chairperson of the National Public Safety Commission Manabu Sakai said at a press conference on Thursday.
The announcement was made following the enactment of the revised basic law on measures against gambling addiction, which criminalizes the operation and promotion of online casinos.
In May, prior to the law’s revision, the National Police Agency had requested governments in seven countries, including the Netherlands, Costa Rica and Canada, which hold licensing authority for major casino sites, to suspend services targeting Japan.
The agency confirmed that eight of the 40 casino sites that see the most online traffic in Japan were either not accessible from the country or had shut down completely as of Sept. 18.
The revised law not only designates online casino sites as illegal but also designates blogs and social media posts that advertise casinos as illegal information.
The Internet Hotline Center, commissioned by the NPA, will now request site operators to remove such content upon receiving reports.
Sakai said that furthering these measures is “a critical task for Japan’s public safety efforts” and urged the public to report any illegal information they discover.
