The Japanese National Police Agency has announced that starting October 1, it will accept anonymous tips on illegal iGaming sites through the country’s crime reporting system.
The agency means business, as reflected by an increase in the maximum reward for successful tips from JPY100,000 (just under US$680) to JPY1 million (US$6,783). Citizens can submit reports by phone or online.
According to GGRAsia, the anonymous crime reporting system first launched in 2007 to address crimes such as human trafficking and child prostitution. Over the years, it expanded to add child abuse, gang-related crime, drug and gun offenses and phone scams. In 2022, the system accepted more than 27,000 reports, leading to arrests in 45 cases.
Concerns about illegal iGaming are likely on the rise as Japan plans to open its first land-based casino. In April, MGM Resorts International and the Japan-based financial services group Orix Corp. were approved to develop a $10 billion integrated resort (IR) with gaming on a man-made island in Osaka Bay. The IR is expected to open on Yumeshima Island in the fall of 2030.
