{"id":23517,"date":"2025-07-14T15:17:16","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T15:17:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scaleo.io\/blog\/?p=23517"},"modified":"2025-07-14T15:17:19","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T15:17:19","slug":"new-law-will-ban-online-casino-ads-and-affiliate-referrals-in-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scaleo.io\/blog\/new-law-will-ban-online-casino-ads-and-affiliate-referrals-in-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"New Law Will Ban Online Casino Ads and Affiliate Referrals in Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you know that, according to SPER Market Research, just the Japanese online gambling market alone could hit $14.48 billion by 2033? Like many other regions, Japan has witnessed a significant number of people joining the gambling sector. And this is mainly because of the increasing number of online casinos, which allow players to access gambling experiences from anywhere at any time.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as much as the popularity of online casinos in Japan<\/a> has made gambling more convenient, there is a growing need to regulate this sector. Consider offshore operators, for instance. Interacting with these companies can be risky because local governments do not restrict them, exposing players to potential fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thankfully, the Japanese government seems to understand these risks and has recently enacted a law to ban all forms of online casino advertising<\/a> and affiliate referrals targeting the country\u2019s players. While this law, which was passed on June 18, 2025, doesn\u2019t criminalize gambling participation, it aggressively targets the ecosystem that promotes and enables access to foreign platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What could have inspired the move?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Can you imagine that over 3.3 million Japanese citizens have gambled on an illegal website? This led to the government losing more than one trillion yen in just one year. For a country like Japan facing a lot of developmental needs, this figure is no joke. Therefore, seeing it work hard to regulate the gambling industry actually makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Japan, you are not allowed to gamble at an unlicensed online casino, even if it is licensed elsewhere. It\u2019s no wonder the government asked regions like Canada and Gibraltar to deny Japanese citizens access to their licensed platforms just a few weeks after passing the law. Japan has also urged platforms operating in these regions to eliminate Japanese-language options from their interfaces and include clear warnings notifying users that gambling is illegal in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This comes at a time when the country recently developed a three-year plan to fight the widespread issue of gambling addiction. Kyodo News conducted a study among 500 Japanese players and found that 60% have a gambling addiction, while 46% have ever fallen into debt because of the practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In another surprising finding, playtoday.co noted that this country\u2019s gamblers spend $200 billion on Pachinko alone yearly. That\u2019s 30 times Las Vegas\u2019 annual gambling revenue, further highlighting the prevailing need for implementing measures that can help minimize addiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does the law prohibit?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For years, Japan has walked a tightrope when it comes to online gambling. Although land-based casinos are slowly being ushered in under the Integrated Resort (IR) initiative, the online space has remained a gray area. In fact, according to the old law, there were no clear guidelines about online casino establishments in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in the new law, things are clear as the government completely outlaws starting or operating online casino sites or apps. After these changes fully come into force, affiliate marketers will lose their golden goose, as the laws directly prohibit affiliate referrals funded by foreign casinos targeting this country\u2019s players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that although many players initially access digital operators to engage in free games, about 75% eventually end up betting with real money? According to officials, these new regulations will minimize the visibility of online platforms, especially affiliate companies, leading to reduced user traffic.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a list of more specific areas the law targets:<\/p>\n\n\n\n