Japanese Lawmakers Jealous of Yakuza Gambling Revenues

Posted: February 29, 2012

Updated: October 4, 2017

Is online gambling coming to Japan? The proposal is considered by Japanese lawmakers.

Japan started very early in offering gambling opportunities. In fact, nearly 400 years ago drunk Samurai and Ninjas played the state lottery. Meanwhile, poor peasants needed to sell themselves into slavery to pay off gambling losses.

Nowadays, Japanese gambling laws permit only limited gambling opportunities in the ancient form of state lottery, with a taste of modern technology as well as some forms of betting on races. At the same time, gamble-loving Japanese youths dedicate their time to playing Pachinko machines in order to let out their passions in the free.

Despite Japan being a highly advanced technological society, online casinos in Japan are not allowed and those who participate break the law. It is not clear, though, if the gamblers get arrested for simply playing online slots and other games via the Internet.

Japanese also love sports betting. However, much of sports betting is controlled by Japanese mafia with many games fixed. This outrages punters and deprives them of real money wins for correct wagers placed, after often long analysis of teams and athletes prior to the game, so a high probability winning bet can be placed.

Recent research done by Japanese gambling news indicates that large underground sports betting revenues make lawmakers in the country feel a bit uncomfortable. After all, every elected official would like to expand services offered to the public without a need to raise taxes. So, why not legalize more forms of gambling in Japan and raise the revenues? This will also make Yakuza poorer to the joy of law enforcement officials.

Thus, the wise man in the Japanese parliament, many of whom allegedly gamble anyway, have proposed to legalize more forms of gambling in their country. Legislative proposals have been made to open Japan to casino gambling. Indeed, the leading party and opposition seem to support further liberalization of gambling laws.

Raising revenues form casinos is one reason. The other is the observation of how well the neighboring countries are doing after opening up casinos. Macau is an excellent example and, after all, why let Japanese go there and spend money when they could do it at home?

The recent proposal doesn’t indicate as to whether Internet gambling will be allowed. Given it is, this should also give a green light to mobile casinos in Japan and, with tens of millions of smartphone equipped Japanese, this would make it one of the finest opportunities seen in the gambling industry in recent years.

Once again we warn: Pachinko machines beware!
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