The Upper House in Japan has passed a new bill to crack down on unauthorized online casinos, following growing concerns about illegal internet gambling. The move comes after recent reports revealed that some professional athletes and entertainers had been using these sites.
The legislation, approved by a narrow margin on Wednesday (June 18), comes in response to what lawmakers called a serious situation surrounding illegal internet gambling.
What is the new bill tackling illegal online casinos in Japan?
Under the updated law, starting new online casino sites will be off-limits, even if they’re created through smartphone apps. Online ads and social media posts that encourage people to visit virtual casinos will also be banned.
Both the national and local governments will be expected to help educate the public about the fact that using online gambling sites is illegal in Japan.
“This law aims to comprehensively and systematically promote measures against gambling addiction… to ensure a healthy life for citizens and contribute to a safe society.” – Article 1 of the Revised Basic Act on Measures Against Gambling Addiction
That said, it’s still unclear how much impact these changes will have, since there are no penalties for not following the new rules.
However, the law does make it easier for authorities to ask website operators to take gambling sites offline when requested by the police.
Because many of these online casino sites are registered and approved by foreign governments, the revised law also gives Japanese officials the ability to reach out to their overseas counterparts and ask them to block access from within Japan.
According to the “Revised Basic Act on Measures Against Gambling Addiction,” which we have translated, the government is setting up Gambling Addiction Awareness Week, which will run each year from May 14 to 20.
The law also focuses on making treatment more accessible. Article 16 states, “Ensure equal access to appropriate treatment regardless of residence by improving medical institutions and systems for gambling addiction.”
This means support systems will be available through places like mental health centers, public health offices, consumer centers, and legal support services.
To better understand the issue, the law also says, “The government shall conduct surveys every three years to clarify the actual situation and publish the results.”
Gambling issue ‘severe’ in the country
“This bill is based on the recognition that problems surrounding illegal online gambling and related issues have become severe,” a lawmaker said (translated into English) during the session. “It prohibits actions such as presenting websites for illegal online gambling to unspecified persons within the country.
“It clearly stipulates measures to promote awareness that engaging in illegal online gambling is prohibited, as part of efforts to spread knowledge about gambling addiction issues,” the speaker continued.
The vote happened just before noon, with 238 lawmakers casting their ballots. In the end, 233 voted in favor, and the bill passed with only a small number of opposing votes.
The new law is expected to give law enforcement and regulators more tools to tackle Japan’s growing underground online gambling scene. Lawmakers stressed that education will play just as important a role as enforcement in addressing the problem over the long term.
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