An estimated 3.37 million people in Japan have engaged in gambling at online casinos, with a staggering JPY1.24 trillion ($8.4 billion) wagered annually.
A report from The Asahi Shimbun highlights information from the National Police Agency’s (NPA) first survey dedicated to the issue, released on March 13th.
The survey revealed that 75.2 percent of respondents who used free online casino sites on their smartphones eventually transitioned to paid versions, where they gambled with real money. Alarmingly, 59.6 percent of online casino users acknowledged having an addiction to gambling.
While most online casino sites operate in jurisdictions where gambling is legal, placing bets from Japan constitutes a gambling offense. An NPA official commented that “the survey highlights the prevalence of illegal gambling, and the situation is extremely serious.”
The NPA commissioned a private company to conduct the survey due to increasing concerns about online casinos. Between July of last year and January of this year, approximately 27,000 individuals in Japan, aged 15 to 79, participated in the study. The analysis included responses from 500 individuals with online casino experience and 6,500 without.
The findings indicated that 3.5 percent of all respondents had previously used or were currently using online casino sites, which translates to about 3.37 million people based on national population estimates. The average annual betting amount per user was reported to be around JPY630,000 ($4,224).
By considering usage rates across various age groups, the survey estimates the total annual gambling amount at approximately JPY1.24 trillion ($8.4 billion). Additionally, the survey uncovered that 43.5 percent of participants were unaware that online casinos are illegal in Japan.
Among those with online casino experience, 46.2 percent had borrowed money from family, friends, or consumer finance companies to support their gambling habits.
The NPA has also raised alarms about celebrity endorsements or promotions that portray online casinos as being “safe”, urging stakeholders to discontinue such activities, as they may be perceived as facilitating illegal gambling.
