Japan is escalating its war on illegal online gambling after a National Police Agency (NPA) report released on April 25, 2026, confirmed 221 arrests and 317 enforcement actions in 2025, the highest level since 2018. The figures mark a turning point; authorities are no longer targeting only users, but the entire illegal ecosystem, including affiliates, digital promoters and payment processors.
The report shows 158 cases directly linked to online casinos, while enforcement against individual users reached 196 cases, highlighting rapid growth in illegal activity. The NPA, the country’s main enforcement body under the National Public Safety Commission, led in 2026 by Yoshinobu Kusunoki, is expanding operations to dismantle recruitment networks and financial channels tied to offshore gambling.
Hayashi Yoshimasa
The crackdown aligns with a major policy shift. A government panel under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), led in 2026 by Hayashi Yoshimasa, has backed website blocking of offshore casino operators. The final report is expected in summer 2026, although the proposal raises constitutional concerns over privacy and secrecy of communications.
Takashi Yamashita
Japan’s legal framework remains strict. The Penal Code of Japan prohibits all forms of online gambling, including participation in offshore platforms. This is reinforced by the amended Basic Act on Countermeasures Against Gambling Addiction, in force since September 25, 2025, which criminalizes advertising, promotion and redirection to illegal gambling services. Oversight also involves the Ministry of Justice, led by Takashi Yamashita, and the Japan Casino Regulatory Commission (JCRC), chaired by Michio Kitamura, which supervises only land-based casino development under the Integrated Resort Implementation Act.
The scale of the market explains the urgency. The NPA estimates around 1.97 million active online gambling users in Japan, generating annual wagering volume close to $8 billion, largely operated from offshore jurisdictions such as Curaçao and Malta. In contrast, the legal market is limited to lotteries, public betting and future integrated resorts, including the Osaka IR project, scheduled to open in 2030.
Japan is confronting a direct clash between strong digital demand and total prohibition. With website blocking under consideration and enforcement at record levels, the country is moving toward a model of full-spectrum control to contain a multi-billion-dollar market that continues to operate outside its fiscal system.
