Key Facts
• Illegal sports betting sites, including high school baseball tournaments, target Japanese users.
• Access from Japan to these sites increased tenfold compared to July last year.
• Betting includes professional sports and high school tournaments like Koshien.
• Okinawa Shogaku High School’s odds for Koshien victory were 6.84.
• Unauthorized streaming of Japanese baseball games was found on these sites.
• Operators avoided legal questions and claimed streaming rights were obtained.
• Japan’s illegal sports betting market reached $6.5 trillion in total bets last year.
• Risks include match-fixing by criminal groups and gambling addiction.
• A 28-year-old man lost over $13.5 million due to gambling addiction.
• New regulations starting next month will ban ads promoting illegal betting and online casinos.
• Japan is urging countries issuing online casino licenses to block Japanese access.
Summary
Illegal sports betting sites are increasingly targeting Japanese users, with access surging tenfold compared to last year. These platforms include bets on professional sports and high school tournaments like Koshien, with unauthorized streaming of Japanese baseball games. Experts warn of risks such as match-fixing by criminal groups and gambling addiction, as seen in a case where a man lost over $13.5 million. Japan’s illegal betting market reached $6.5 trillion in total bets last year. To combat this, new regulations starting next month will ban ads promoting illegal betting and online casinos, while Japan is urging countries issuing online casino licenses to block Japanese access.
