Japan has made a formal request to eight foreign governments to block online casinos for its citizens, in a sweeping crackdown on illegal cross-border gambling. Reportedly, in June 2025, Tokyo formally requested that Canada, Costa Rica, Georgia, Malta, Anjouan (a part of the Comoros Islands), Curaçao, the Isle of Man, and Gibraltar, all internationally recognised as prominent online gambling centres, restrict access to their licenced platforms for users based in Japan. Whether any action was taken, however, is not confirmed.
Although Japan already bans online gambling with overseas operators, millions of its citizens continue to access foreign betting and casino sites. Authorities argue that domestic actions alone cannot solve the issue without cooperation from international regulators.
A shadow market worth billions
Government data shows the scale of the challenge for Tokyo. As per a study conducted by Tokyo-based nonprofit Council for Sports Ecosystem Promotion, offshore sports betting by Japanese users alone reached ¥6.45 trillion (€42 billion) in 2024, confirming that there is a vast shadow market operating outside Japan’s legal framework. Officials say this also reflects how difficult it has become for domestic law enforcement to control gambling activity in a borderless digital space.
Furthermore, surveys by Japan’s National Police Agency estimate that around 3.37 million Japanese citizens have used overseas online casinos at least once, while 1.97 million are currently active users. Collectively, they are believed to wager about ¥1.24 trillion (€8 billion) annually. On average, each user spends roughly ¥630,000 (€4,050) every year on such sites.
Nearly 3.5 percent of the population aged 15 to 79 have tried online casinos, while around two percent are current users. Around 56 to 60 percent of the general public are aware that this activity is illegal, yet 40 percent of users are unaware that they are breaking the law.
Nearly 60 percent of users admit to having developed gambling addiction issues, while several also confirmed having borrowed money from finance companies, friends or relatives to continue gambling. Police identified 279 people involved in running or using online casinos in 2024, double the 2023 figure, although authorities believe this represents only a fraction of actual users.
The challenge of VPN
As a result, Japan’s parliament passed stricter anti-online gambling laws following scandals involving athletes and celebrities. Public and political pressure has been mounting, prompting the government to take visible international action. Tokyo has framed its outreach as an attempt to extend legal enforcement “across borders” to curb an activity it considers illegal and socially harmful.
However, there are significant hurdles. Identifying Japanese users is technically challenging because many use VPNs and fake accounts. The targeted jurisdictions may also argue that they lack legal grounds to act on Tokyo’s request, or that it infringes on their sovereignty.
Even if websites are blocked, operators could simply move servers or use workarounds, potentially turning enforcement into a cat-and-mouse game. And so, Japan is seeking help from foreign jurisdictions to assist in taking concrete actions.
