Online Casinos in Japan
In accordance with the current Japanese legislation, online gambling is not legalised. There are no legislative acts licensing this segment of gambling, and it's not possible to get a license for a website which provides the opportunity to play gambling games remotely. According to the National Police Agency, gambling on an online casino from Japan is a crime even if the website is legally operated abroad, and the police regularly arrest both players and those who help run such sites. In addition, an amendment to the Basic Act on Gambling Addiction Countermeasures (Act No. 76 of 2025), in force since 25 September 2025, bans operating online casino sites and apps for people in Japan, as well as advertising them or directing people to them.
Gambling Games in Japan
Pachinko or pachislot - the only legal variety of slot machines available in Japan. In its structure, it represents something between pinball and a classic video slot. When playing pachislot, the player cannot receive his win with real money. Pachinko, as one of the few legal types of gambling, is often adapted to cult game products. The gaming halls have one-armed bandits themed to such sought after games as Silent Hill and many others. There are over 6,000 pachinko halls in the country. In online casinos, Japanese players often prefer the following slot machines: Super Ace and Fortune Gems by JILI Games, Big Top by Microgaming, Age of the Gods: God of Storms by Playtech and Super 8 Ways Ultimate by Spadegaming. Pachinko simulators are also represented on the Internet but are not especially successful among Japanese. The oriental table game mahjong is also in demand in Japan. Mahjong parlours are licensed by the police (6,351 at the end of 2025), but playing for money is formally banned. Despite the formal ban, underground mahjong gambling still exists in the country, and some of it is controlled by yakuza. Japan also has an official Mahjong Professional League.
Gambling Legislation
Currently, the Japanese Criminal Code provides liability for organising and participating in gambling. These provisions are reflected in articles 185, 186 and 187. According to them, the organiser of a gambling place for profit can receive up to 5 years in prison, a participant can be fined up to 500,000 yen, and a habitual gambler can receive up to 3 years. Here is a list of legal types of gambling available to Japanese residents: Pachinko as well as pachislot, Lottery and Betting on horse, bicycle, car and motorcycle racing. Casino games, sports betting and slot machines (except pachinko) are currently banned. At the end of 2016, the Japanese parliament approved a bill according to which casino gambling will be legalised within integrated resorts (IR). It was followed in July 2018 by the IR Implementation Act, which sets the licensing rules, and in 2020 the Casino Regulatory Commission was created to supervise future casinos. The development of the licensing system has taken much longer than expected: the only project approved so far is the Osaka IR, whose area development plan was approved by the national government in April 2023. It is being built by MGM Osaka (MGM Resorts and ORIX) and is aiming to open in autumn 2030, so Japanese casinos will open their doors for the first visitors no earlier than then. Gambling was legalised due to two reasons. The first is that the Olympic Games were planned in Japan in 2020 (they were held in 2021), legal gambling institutions would be a powerful additional tool for attracting tourists. The second is that Macau and Singapore, where gambling legislation is loyal, have become the most sought after tourist destinations in the region. So, when deciding on the legalisation of gambling, the authorities were guided by the idea of attracting additional revenues from foreign guests.
Gambling Licensing
At the moment, the only available license for private companies is the permission to open a hall with pachinko machines. It can be obtained by a company the owner of which has no previous convictions and is not connected with crime. Before opening a hall, the police checks all the slot machines for compliance with the necessary technical requirements. Pachinko halls cannot be located near the following objects: schools, institutions of higher education, public libraries, hospitals and children's nurseries. There is no specific license validity period for this type of activity, but it needs to be updated periodically. People under 18 years old are prohibited to visit halls.
Development of the Gambling Market in Japan
The manufacturer called Konami was the largest in Japan for a long time. Its gaming division, Konami Gaming, is headquartered in Las Vegas. It started working back in 1969. The manufacturer specialises not only in slot machines but also in video games. It was this company that created such bestsellers as the dance simulator Dance Dance Revolution, the horror-series Silent Hill, the first computer tactical spy game Metal Gear and much more. The following developments are in demand among the slot machines released under the brand Konami: Ancient Dragon, China Shores, African Diamond, Rocky and Chip City. Prospects for the Japanese gambling business are promising. Large representatives of the international gambling market have already expressed their desire to start work in Japan. For a long time there was information that the first gambling institution in the country would be opened by the American operator Sands, but the company later dropped its Japanese plans. The first licence is now expected to go to MGM Resorts and its partner ORIX in Osaka, and no casino is planned in Tokyo. As the chief secretary of the Japanese Cabinet Yoshihide Suga said at the time, the bet on gambling profits is placed not only for the period of the Olympics but also after its finish. Current Japanese legislation do not provide players and operators with too much freedom, and online gambling has become even more restricted since 2025. The situation for land-based casinos is only expected to change once the Osaka IR opens.
