Tokyo police bust illegal underground casino shop
12 people arrested as Japan intensifies crackdown on offshore gambling investigations
Key points:
– 12 people were arrested at a shop in Tokyo’s Kabukicho district, which was accused of facilitating online gambling
– The venue allegedly allowed customers to access foreign-based casino sites using in-store computers
– Local police found over 5,000 potential customer records and suspect similar establishments are active across Japan
Japanese police have arrested 12 individuals during a raid on a shop in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward for allegedly facilitating illegal access to offshore online casino platforms.
The operation, conducted in the Kabukicho entertainment district, targeted an establishment named RIZIN. Five employees were taken into custody along with seven customers present at the time of the raid. The reported customers ranged in age from their 20s to their 80s.
Authorities believe the venue offered access to games on foreign-based websites through its in-house computer terminals.
The store reportedly operated with at least 20 personal computers and maintained data related to more than 5,000 potential customers. Police say the employees admitted to allowing customers to gamble on offshore sites from within the venue.
Good to know: The Japan Casino Regulatory Commission has recently appointed Tetsuya Nakamura as its new Secretary-General, replacing Tomoyuki Iwashita
Authorities have previously arrested individuals for accessing online casinos using personal devices, and have also taken action against payment processors suspected of facilitating transactions between users and unlicensed operators.
Japanese law prohibits all forms of gambling via online casinos, regardless of whether the operators are based domestically or abroad. Officials say investigations are ongoing and further enforcement actions may follow.
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