An amending law affecting Japan's organized crime statute, the Act on Punishment of Organized Crimes and Control of Crime Proceeds (Act No. 136 of 1999), takes effect on April 1, 20241. The amendment is listed among the supplementary provisions of the Act, with the relevant clause specifying the April 1, 2024 date1.
The Act sets out aggravated penalties when offenses listed in it are carried out as the activity of a criminal group, defined as a continuing association of many persons whose purpose or intent is realized in whole or in part through repeated action by an organization operating under a command structure with assigned roles1. Among the offenses it covers are two gambling crimes under the Penal Code: habitual gambling under Article 186, paragraph 1, and running a gambling place for profit under Article 186, paragraph 21.
Where those acts are committed as the activity of a group, the Act provides:
| Offense | Penalty under the Act |
|---|---|
| Habitual gambling (Penal Code Art. 186, para. 1) | Imprisonment for not more than five years |
| Running a gambling place for profit (Penal Code Art. 186, para. 2) | Imprisonment for not less than three months and not more than seven years |
The Act also lists gambling-related offenses from other statutes among the predicate offenses for money laundering and confiscation, including unlicensed horse racing under the Horse Racing Act, unlicensed bicycle racing under the Bicycle Racing Act, unlicensed small automobile racing under the Small Automobile Racing Act, and unlicensed motorboat racing under the Motorboat Racing Act1. Concealing or disguising the acquisition or disposal of crime proceeds carries imprisonment for not more than ten years, a fine of not more than five million yen, or both, while knowingly receiving such proceeds carries imprisonment for not more than seven years, a fine of not more than three million yen, or both1. Where a corporation's representative or employee commits certain offenses in the course of business, the corporation or person can also be fined alongside the individual1.
The text does not state which specific provisions the April 1, 2024 commencement covers, and no further detail on the scope of the change has been reported.
What it means for players
The Act does not create new gambling offenses. It increases the consequences when gambling offenses already in the Penal Code, habitual gambling and running a gambling place for profit, are committed as part of the activity of an organized group. For individuals gambling in Japan, the underlying rules on what is legal have not changed by anything in this text. What the Act addresses is the organized context and the handling of money linked to listed offenses, including several unlicensed racing offenses. The text does not describe any change to how ordinary players, visitors or residents are treated, and no such change has been reported.
What happens next
The amendment takes effect on April 1, 20241. No further steps connected to the April 1, 2024 commencement have been reported.
For background on the region, see Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions and Can I Gamble in Japan?.
Sources1 sources
- 組織的な犯罪の処罰及び犯罪収益の規制等に関する法律, laws.e-gov.go.jp
