Japan's revised gambling addiction countermeasures law comes into force

Japan's amended gambling addiction countermeasures law came into force on September 25, 2025, placing greater restrictions on illegal online gambling. Parliament passed the amendments in June, and they explicitly outlaw operating or promoting offshore online casinos to residents¹.

Under the revised law, online casinos are banned from launching or advertising themselves on social media platforms or YouTube in Japan¹. Advertising and promotional content that directs users to online gambling sites, whether domestic or foreign, is prohibited, including banner ads, social media posts, affiliate links, ranking or recommendation sites, and influencer endorsements². Launching or offering new online casino sites, including through smartphone apps, is also banned². National and local governments must now conduct public awareness campaigns about the illicit status of online gambling operations¹.

The push for tighter restrictions followed a National Police Agency survey. One report said the survey found around 3.4 million Japanese residents gambled online¹; another said a 2025 NPA survey estimated about 3.37 million people had used online casino sites². The two figures differ slightly. On the money involved, the reports diverge more sharply: one cited Toshikazu Yamaguchi, president of The Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings, saying JPY6.5 trillion (US$43.5 billion) was gambled each year on offshore sites¹, while the other put annual wagers via such platforms at roughly US$8.4 billion².

The new rules also target celebrity endorsements of online gambling after a slew of high-profile indictments, including six comedians and a member of the boy band JO1¹. The law classifies promotional content as illegal information and empowers authorities and the Internet Hotline Centre to request takedowns, but it does not impose explicit criminal penalties for all violations of the new measures².

Japan's legal gambling remains limited. One report said the only legal types are horse racing, sports betting and pachinko¹. Another said state-authorized activities include horse racing, bicycle racing, motorboat racing, motorcycle racing and government lotteries, and that land-based casino gambling is legal only inside Integrated Resorts, with the first under active development in Osaka². Foreign-licensed sites remain legal in their own jurisdictions, though accessing or promoting them in Japan is now illegal².

What it means for players

For residents, expats and visitors in Japan, the practical change is in what they can see and click. Promotional routes to offshore casinos, including social media posts, YouTube advertising, affiliate links and ranking or recommendation pages, are now prohibited, and authorities can request takedowns¹. New online casino sites and apps cannot be launched or offered². Japanese law treats residents' use of overseas online casinos as a criminal offense, and offering or promoting access is also illegal². Legal options are unchanged: state-authorized betting such as horse racing and pachinko, and casino gambling only inside Integrated Resorts, where operators must charge Japanese visitors an entrance fee, limit visits and run addiction prevention measures². Support and self-exclusion information is covered in our guide to gambling help and self-exclusion in Japan.

What happens next

The reports describe no further dated steps. One noted that the government sought cooperation from Canada, Costa Rica, Malta and Georgia, along with the Isle of Man, Gibraltar and Anjouan in the Comoros, on cross-border access¹. Whether regulators in those hubs tighten conditions, for example by restricting Japan-facing marketing or requiring geoblocking, has not been reported as decided.