Japan cabinet forms basic strategy to combat against gambling addiction

A basic strategy to tackle online gambling addiction has been approved by the cabinet in Japan, according to a local report.

The Japan Times is reporting that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s Cabinet approved the plan on Friday (March 21) which includes strengthening crackdowns on payment collection agencies.

This comes after a National Police Agency survey suggests that nearly 3.37 million people in Japan are estimated to have used overseas online casinos to illegally gamble. It’s thought there could be about 1.97 million active users.

An NPA official has been quoted as saying: “There is a possibility that a lack of awareness about illegality encourages people to use online casinos.”

The Japanese publisher says the plan ‘also calls for conducting awareness-raising activities for businesses and encouraging them to take appropriate measures, such as prohibiting the display of online casino advertisements and online casino introduction sites.’

There will also be social media advertisements introduced that remind people about how the practice is illegal.

Despite being illegal, aside from a few exceptions, the country approved plans to build the first gambling resort in mid-2023.

The controversial plans will go ahead as it was in 2018 when a new law was passed that provided exceptions to games like poker and baccarat.

The casino will be housed in a 5.3 million-square-foot complex that will also include a hotel, conference center, shopping mall, and museum. The venue will open around Autumn-time in 2030, with work to begin in April 2025.

The complex will be located in the western city of Osaka and it had an initial investment of 1.8tn yen ($13.5bn) through the US-based MGM and Japan’s Orix Group. Both own a 40% stake in the company, with the remaining to be owned by local companies.

It’s hoped that the new casino will bring in tourism and attract visitors annually. The country isn’t the first to adopt this approach either, as a similar-style resort is currently being spoken about in Thailand.

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