Japan has taken a new approach to combat online gaming addiction in the nation.
Passed by Japan’s parliaments in June, new laws officially came into effect yesterday (25 September) which ban the launching of new online casinos and the posting of online ads for gaming platforms.
The measures seek to address particular concerns surrounding the prevalence of young people taking part in online gaming.
According to a National Police Agency (NPA) report, approximately 60% of Japan’s 3.37 million iGaming users are in their 20s and 30s.
Despite being illegal, the Japanese Government estimates that ¥1.24tn (£6.2bn) is wagered each year via online gaming platforms.
Alongside the bans, national and local governments will also be required to raise awareness about the illegality of online gambling.
While the revised laws carry no specific criminal penalties, they will allow internet service providers and social media platforms to more proactively target and remove promotional content.
MGM Osaka breaks ground
Although Japan is taking action against online casinos, the country’s government has chosen to embrace land-based gaming through integrated resorts laws which allow the development of three venues nationwide.
The first of which will be MGM Osaka, a ¥1.27 trillion (£6.4bn) joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Orix Corporation which is set to welcome players in 2030.
The prospect of Japan’s first casino resort has also raised concerns elsewhere in Asia.
Industry experts in South Korea have warned that the resort poses a “serious competitive challenge” to the country’s gambling industry.
Once the Osaka resort opens, reports suggest that approximately 7.6 million South Koreans could travel there annually, spending an estimated 2.6trn won (£1.4bn).
Despite being strictly prohibited, data from the National Gambling Control Commission placed the value of overseas gambling by Korean nationals in 2017 was 4.9 trillion won (£2.7bn).
“For Korea’s casino and tourism industries to take off, we need new policies that go beyond the current framework,” urged Suh Won-seok, president of the Korea Tourism Society, at an event hosted by the Korea Casino Integrate Resort Association and the Korea Tourism Society in Osaka.
Currently, Koreans can only gamble at a small number of government-approved venues, such as a horse racing track in Seoul, the nation’s capital, and Kangwon Land, the only casino open to locals.
