In response to a dramatic increase in consultation requests related to gambling addiction in recent years, the Society Concerned about Gambling Addiction, a public interest organization based in Tokyo, has warned that online gambling addiction is becoming a significant issue in Japan.
This problem has worsened particularly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. According to The Japan Times, the association reported that consultation requests have surged 11-fold over the past five years.
The organization highlighted a troubling trend of individuals resorting to illegal part-time jobs to finance their gambling activities. “I feel a sense of crisis over the current situation in which many people are addicted to gambling and commit crimes,” said Noriko Tanaka, the head of the association. “Illegal online casinos must be eradicated.”
Between January and November 2024, the association received 91 consultation requests concerning family members gambling on online casinos. In comparison, only eight such cases were reported in 2019, prior to the pandemic’s impact on societal behavior.
Online casinos have significantly contributed to gambling addiction by providing 24/7 accessibility via smartphones, enabling users to gamble from the comfort of their homes.
A recent survey conducted by the association found that 30 percent of its 681 respondents reported that family members addicted to gambling had engaged in criminal activities, including embezzlement, theft, or involvement in illegal part-time jobs.
This issue is not unique to Japan. In October last year, data from South Korea revealed that the number of teenagers struggling with gambling addiction had more than doubled over the past four years, accompanied by a staggering 14-fold surge in online casino participation.
Representative Cho Gye-won of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea noted that, according to data from the Korea Center on Gambling Problems (KCGP), the number of teenagers receiving gambling addiction counseling has risen from 1,286 in 2020 to 2,665 by the end of August this year. While more teenagers are seeking help, the severity of their addiction remains concerning.
