Are Online Casinos Legal in Japan?

Often times, online casino gamers have to contend with a broad array of rules and regulations, many of which end-up frustrating their gaming experiences. For internet gamers in Japan, the situation is actually direr than in other parts of the world. 

Japan has put into place a number of legalities that players and online casino owners have to contend with. As we start, it’s important to note that the Criminal Code, chapter 23 of Japan’s laws, has classified gambling as an illicit activity. 

But whereas there exist a few exceptions where Japanese players are permitted and provided with a free reign to play as they wish, the general rule of thumb is that gambling in the country, in any form is illegal. As such, all gambling activities are fully banned.

Many have over the years managed to find loopholes during the times it matters the most.

As such, any ardent online gamer looking to gamble online in their preferred casinos like CasinoSecret Japan, will be able to do so, without running afoul of the law. Putting it simply, just because the laws have criminalized this activity doesn’t seem to put off the most ardent gamers.

They always find a way to gamble online, even while still within the country’s boundaries.

As you already know by now, online casino gambling is the same thing as traditional gambling. And in general, Japan’s laws have outlawed gambling. The generalized gambling practice is under the Criminal Code, chapter 23 illegalized, regardless of whether it’s online or land-based gambling.

In short, online casinos and internet gambling does not receive any kind of support from the regulatory boards in the country. But as is the case with many other things in life, there exist a few exceptions to this particular rule. The exceptions in question allow several gaming enterprises to partake part in legal gambling activities, as long as they are under certain categories. 

The categories include:

Horse Racing 

All the big horse racing activities in Japan are at the moment under the control of an entity known as the Japan Racing Association. 

Currently, there are a total of twenty-four non-JRA tracks under the operation of the local governments on Japanese territories.

Casinos

As things stand, no legal custody is in existence in the country. But authorities in the country have for some time now been mulling over the idea of changing the existing laws. 

The agenda to change the criminal code and legalize all types of casinos has been around for several years.

Lottery 

The lottery was legalized at some point in the last decade. Today, it’s possible for any person in the country to purchase a lottery ticket from a legally sanctioned lottery booth.

Toto is the company currently tasked with running the national lotteries. Additionally, it’s the only company with the legal mandate to run a web-based gambling portal.

Bicycle Racing

This is a kind of entertainment that has remained popular with Japan residents for many years now. 

It’s a sports category whose origins can be traced back to the end of the second world war.

Panchiko

Even though Panchiko is at the moment not under the government’s control, it’s a sporting event that has also become quite popular. 

Many consider it to be a unique activity. Additionally, none of the games so far considered legal by the government are as popular with the residents as Panchiko. 

Apart from the above, there are a few other activities where residents are allowed to place their wagers. This include:

I. Mahjong
II. Motorboat racing
III. Motorsports racing

When any Japanese resident decides to take part in any of the aforementioned activities, they can relax knowing that no legal repercussions will befall them. All these activities do not come with any kind of ramifications.

Tell Me More

While internet gambling is at the moment considered an illegal activity in the country, there are numerous bills and petitions that have already been drafted by individuals and organizations. These are people and entities who would like to see the leadership in the country lift the ban on gambling in Japan. 

Accordingly, there was a bill drafted in April 2013 that was requesting the authorities to reconsider their stance on this type of entertainment. But as things stand, the bill has continued to remain a medium-term agenda for the government. Since its drafting, it has managed to receive political support from various quarters. 

If this bill were to be passed, it would only bring about positive changes for the casino world. Online gambling would also be a major beneficiary of its passing. But until the day that this actually comes to pass, online gamers will have to contend with missing out on this type of entertainment. 

For the creative gamer, this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. What do I mean by this? If you are imaginative enough, you can still log into online offshore casinos that accept Japanese based players. Such platforms will allow you to continue trying your luck on the numerous titles that have been provided by that brand. 

This happens to be among the viable options for ardent gamers in Japan. The reasoning here is that the government has not banned offshore online casinos that do cater to its residents. Additionally, no records exist showing that players based in Japan have been arrested and prosecuted for playing online casino games provided by an offshore gambling website. 

Looking at the factors mentioned above, it’s clear for all interested players to see that while Japan has banned internet casino gameplay and online poker within its territorial boundaries, there’s still hope for the gamers. The proverbial light at the end of the tunnel is still shining, so to say. 

Any Japanese resident who really wants to play online casino games can still do so, as long as they use offshore-based casinos. 

Summary

Japan has one of the biggest underground gambling circles in the world, which means that playing at internet-based casinos is not something that is overly done. And while the country still continues to maintain that gambling is illegal and banned in the territory, passionate gamers will have a clue on which unwritten rules to follow whenever they want to play.

The existence of numerous legal loopholes also means that there are games that you can choose to play without getting in trouble with the law. It’s a loophole that calls for you to only use offshore platforms whenever the bug to gamble hits you. In many cases, the offshore casinos are those which operate under the Macau jurisdiction. 

Such a casino will be one operating from Macau shores. This means that it will be legal for you to play and access the titles provided by the casino in question. Many brands will have hundreds of titles, ensuring that you will always have something to try your hand on whenever you have free time. 

Note that where there’s a will, a way will always be found. For gamers in Japan, it’s all about being creative for them to enjoy their preferred games.