(AsiaGameHub) – Japanese police state that online casino-related arrests have surged over the past two years, hitting a record peak of 196 in 2025.
According to Japanese daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun, this figure represents a more than 38% rise compared to the 2024 arrest tally.
Total case volumes also climbed nearly 300% to reach 158, the National Police Agency announced. For comparison, law enforcement recorded 25 online casino-related arrests in 2023, and only one single arrest back in 2022.
A police official confirmed that all individuals taken into custody had accessed online casinos through their smartphones or other internet-connected devices.
Online casinos are prohibited under Japanese law. Accessing offshore-hosted online casinos from within Japanese territory is also classified as a criminal offense.
Online Casino Operators Also Face Criminal Charges
The National Police Agency noted it has additionally arrested 25 people suspected of running, promoting, or handling payment processing for unlicensed online casinos.
Arrestees in this category included payment processing firms that collected commissions for facilitating bet placements and disbursing payouts to winning users.
The agency also took a small number of the so-called “affiliates” into custody. These were primarily social media influencers who accepted payments from operators in exchange for advertising online casinos to their followings.
“We believe anonymous, highly agile criminal groups are involved in the online casino sector,” said National Police Agency Commissioner Yoshinobu Kusunoki.
“These groups are amassing massive amounts of illicit profits,” the commissioner added. “We will work vigorously to dismantle their unlawful business frameworks.”
The agency also detained 165 people for placing online wagers using terminals and personal computers at illegal gambling dens.
Celebrities Under Police Scrutiny
Last year, police and public prosecutors launched a sweeping crackdown targeting celebrities and sports stars who have used overseas-based online casinos.
Officers filed charges against multiple top-tier comedians, pop singers, professional baseball players, and sports coaches for accessing online gambling services via their mobile devices.
Dozens of public figures were fined or issued formal warnings as part of the crackdown. The agency states it believes these enforcement actions have helped raise public awareness of relevant laws.
Police note that many online casino users claim they were unaware that accessing offshore online gambling portals is illegal.
Major sports governing bodies have responded by rolling out dedicated training sessions that educate rookie players on the risks of online gambling.
Earlier this month, prosecutors in Akita Prefecture accused an active sitting Japanese judge of embezzling funds earmarked for civil servants.
Officials allege the judge used the misappropriated funds to support his addiction to placing bets on online baccarat platforms.
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