On September 25, Japan entered into force a new regulation on gambling addiction, with notable provisions including a ban on online lottery advertising and a moratorium on the establishment of new online casinos. Although the new legislation was adopted in June, it was not implemented until recently.
Although the law does not provide for severe penalties for violations, if the police issue a closure order, the operator will face increasing pressure to shut down online lottery services. The authorities also requested website administrators and social media platforms, upon receiving instructions, to advertise the lottery. The aim is to address the proliferation of lottery advertisements, which are common on mainstream platforms such as YouTube and even in day-to-day web operations such as opening bank accounts or downloading mobile phone applications. Taking into account the social influence of public figures, the bill specifically prohibits high-profile gambling activities. The legislation stems from the urgent concerns raised by the Japanese Police Agency: the latest survey shows that around 3.36 million people, mostly under 40 years of age, are involved in Internet games across the country, reflecting the risk of addiction among young people.
The Act requires both central and local government agencies to undertake awareness-raising and education activities to raise public awareness of illegal online gambling and its harmful effects as an important component of action to address addiction and promote social well-being. There are legal forms of gambling in Japan, such as horse racing, sports games and specialty games such as Pachinko. Other regulated forms of lottery will also emerge with the landing of the MGM Osaka complex, which is scheduled to open in 2030.
In the context of Japan ‘ s projected annual lottery market of $8.4 billion, the Government needs to balance the impact on social health of stimulating economic development through legal lottery and mitigating addiction. The new law reflected Japan ‘ s cautious approach to gambling activities, which sought to protect vulnerable groups from undue harm while introducing new legal channels such as comprehensive resorts. Japan ‘ s increased regulation of the promotion and operation of online gambling is a firm initiative to address the growing addiction problem.
