Japan to Submit Bill Targeting Online Casino Operations and Advertising
Japan’s political parties have agreed to introduce a bill that targets illegal online casinos. The legislation will ban operating and promoting these platforms. Lawmakers plan to submit the bill during the current Diet session.
Lawmakers Reach Agreement
Officials from eight parties, including the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito, and the Constitutional Democratic Party, met on Thursday. They agreed to revise the basic law on gambling addiction countermeasures. The bill will likely reach the Cabinet Committee by the end of the month and is expected to pass during this session.
The proposed law would ban anyone from setting up or running an online casino. It also targets those who promote such platforms. That includes people who guide users to gambling sites through ads or social media posts.
Lawmakers want to remove legal gray areas. The new rules would make it easier for telecom providers to take down illegal content when police ask them to.
Enforcement Remains a Challenge
The bill does not include penalties for breaking the rules. Without fines or legal consequences, experts warn that enforcement may fall short. Still, the government will launch public campaigns to explain that online casinos remain illegal under Japanese law.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications created an expert panel last month. The panel is reviewing new ways to stop illegal gambling. One option is to block user access to these websites directly.