Online Gambling in Japan?

[Petunia]

** I have a friend who is moving back to japan from South Africa, and she asked me about the gambling laws 'back home'. I have NO CLUE - anyone knows where we can get info plse **

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[ocf]

Tens of thousands people have been playing online in Japan for quite some time.

Nobody knows exactly how gambling laws apply to offshore online gambling in Japan. This must be identical to other countries

 

[spearmaster]

Welcome to the posting world, ocf

Basically, what ocf said is true. No laws specifically related to online gambling, just generic laws prohibiting gambling unless otherwise excepted. In other words, like in most parts of Asia, as long as you don't do it overtly and publicly, you won't face any problems.

 

[Petunia]

** Hey guys, thank you for this!! I guess I should ask her to give us feedback once she is there. currently there are not many casinos catering for the japanese market. i think she plays at 888.com -- either way, thanks for the info!! **

 

[ocf]

Hi Spearmaster
I should have remembered you were here. You know better than me

Petunia, there are not tons of online casinos offering services in Japanese language. But there are quite a few like InterCasino, Gaming Club, King Neptune's and Club Dice. So she should not worry about her choice.

 

[spearmaster]

I doubt I know more than you, ocf - maybe I can add outside observation and such, but I certainly can't read Japanese I depend on people like you to help me form these opinions and add to my knowledge!

The law on gambling is pretty clear, though - not allowed unless specifically permitted, such as lottery, horse racing, bike racing, boat racing. Pachinko and pachislot are not considered gambling through a well-known loophole, but of course nearly everyone knows that winnings of balls or tokens can be cashed in for special prizes which in turn can be exchanged for cash. Since the prizes are not cashable on the premises, and not cashed by the operators, it is not considered gambling. It could thus be interpreted that online gambling is perhaps allowed through the same loophole - the premises (ie operators and servers) are not in Japan, nor does cashing of winnings take place in Japan.

Mini casinos do exist in Japan, but they are most definitely illegal. However, since they don't actively promote their operations or have touts on the sidewalks, they are generally ignored. Thus my belief that as long as you don't do it overtly or publicly, there should also be no problem.

 

[universexf6]

** I have a friend who is moving back to japan from South Africa, and she asked me about the gambling laws 'back home'. I have NO CLUE - anyone knows where we can get info plse **

Howdy. Another Japanese here. What I can say from my experience is

DEPOSITING AT CASINO BY CREDIT CARD IS COMPLETELY ILLEGAL.

From which you can may be inferr the legal stance of Japanese goverment
towards online gambling.

I once was received caution from a credit card company that here in
a law states blah blah blah prohibitting this kind of credit card transaction
and actually I am commiting a crime.......

I don't know about a Neteller but I believe there is no law about it.

Hahaha

Well..but recently Japanese crimate toward casino gambling is drastically
changing and Metropolitan goverment is now submitting a draft so that
they can manage casinos in the capital legally. I think sooner or later the
land gambling will be permitted here and I don't think there is any obstacle
about online gambling.

 

[webber286]

** Hey guys, thank you for this!! I guess I should ask her to give us feedback once she is there. currently there are not many casinos catering for the japanese market. i think she plays at 888.com -- either way, thanks for the info!! **

Actually, many casinos market to the Japanese market. Did a quick search on

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and there are 60 casinos listed for Japanese. Just click on the "Browse Online Casinos - Language" link.

 

[Petunia]

**Hey everyone, I am realy greatful for this information! Universex, I have forwarded this information on to my girlfriend, and I can already see the looks of dismay on her face!! Thanks so much for the help! Also thanks guys for the info on the casinos that offer this service... I am sure there is always strenght in CHOICE - and by the looks of it, she is spoiled for choice! hehe**

 

[spearmaster]

I'm going to jump in here again... it is not the act of depositing by credit card that is illegal, it is the actual gambling. It's obvious most of the banks are playing safe by considering these deposits to be used for gambling purposes - yet they do not see that the gambling is not taking place in Japan, and not funding an operation based in Japan.

If you were to use your credit card in a Las Vegas casino, the great likelihood is that the withdrawal or cash advance would be accepted - despite the fact that gambling in Japan is illegal.

Because I can't read Japanese, I'm not going to ask Universex a favor and forward that email to me... but I'm betting that ocf has also seen similar emails and thus if he could clarify the exact wording I would appreciate it.

But that shouldn't bother most people anyhow - credit cards are blocked in Japan and the US and Hong Kong and China and many other countries for making deposits to online gambling operations because they are coded 7995 as required under their merchant agreement. This has been the case for a long time - so most gamblers in the US, and probably Japan, use Neteller or else wire transfer facilities.

Regarding "60" casinos in Japanese, many of them are G-Fed or Grand Virtual - all of their skins and clones have Japanese-language capability, and frankly these would best be avoided. There are only 10-15 casinos worth testing out, of which some of them still do not have Japanese-language software.

Universex is right about the climate, however - it has been known for a couple of years that the government is considering amending the law to allow individual prefectures to decide for themselves whether or not to allow casino gambling - basically the same as the States, where each state determines whether, or what types of, gambling should be allowed.

 

[ocf]

Spear is very right. Using credit cards issued in Japan for gambling is not illegal. But it is the fact that quite a few issuers have been blocking these transactions if used online, though I came to know that 70 to 80% of credit card deposit attempted by Japanese players are NOT rejected Out of 3 credit cards I own, I can use 2 at almost any online casinos.

I saw some waning in the past in CC statement sent by post about the use of CC for online lottery or gambling. I don't remeber their exact wording though. And I am still using their CC for deposit for online casinos without any problem. Maybe those warning is gesture for somebody

And regarding the selection of 50 or 60 Japanese casinos, again I fully agree with Spear. Though the presentation of the casinos is very nice , there seem to be some problematic casinos that are much worse than G-FED in terms of players experience

 

[spearmaster]

Maybe those warning is gesture for somebody

Thanks, ocf - this could well be the case, I know it was also done in the US by a number of banks before they actively decided to block 7995-coded transactions.

I am, however, amazed that 70-80% of deposit by credit cards are successful! Let's hope it stays that way...

 

[Petunia]

** you guys are great! really! thanks for all this info... I am happy to be in uk and don't have many issues with anything realy! *grin* I guess it is a sign of the times... but out of curiosity... OFC and Universex - would you guys feel more comfortable playing in your own language ? I can see how a CS operator could help better when they are fluent in the lingo, but I don't realy know (or think) that the display language on the software or the sites makes a big differance... maybe it is because i am not in need of that... I guess if I were in someone elses shoes i would have cared a lot more... **

 

[ocf]

Great portion of Japanese population feel uncomfortable with non-Japanese language. Online gamblers are not exception. That's the reason why several popular brands including Casino On Net, InterCasino, Gaming Club and Club Dice started full Japanese services a few years ago.