Lawmakers in Japan have denied reports that they may open the door to more sports betting in the country—specifically, betting on a wider variety of sporting events.
Local media recently reported that the country’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has drafted a proposal to allow betting on football, basketball and baseball (the latter may be as popular in Japan as it is in the United States). Currently, sports bettors are limited to legal bets on horse racing, cycling, motorboat racing and motorcycling.
It was also reported that Japan’s Sports Development Council could convene in July for the first time in five years. According to AsiaCasino.org, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said that doesn’t mean sports betting options will increase.
“Currently, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is holding a study group on sports,” he told reporters, “but it has also been reported that there is no plan to present a proposal to lift the ban on sports betting at any of the study groups. I refrain from commenting on hypothetical questions while this is not being done.”
His comments dovetail with those made by Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Koichi Hagiuda, who also denied the reports at a press conference earlier in the month. Opponents of such a proposal have expressed concerns about more gambling addiction—the same roadblock faced by would-be casino developers—as well as the potential for match-fixing.
According to Yogonet, the move toward broader sports betting options may be “aimed at increasing revenues from broadcasting and advertising” as well as an effort to boost the sports industry. It would advance the Sports Development Council’s 2016 goal to grow Japan’s sports market from ¥5.5 trillion ($41 billion) in 2015 to ¥15 trillion ($111.9 billion) in 2025.
While Hagiuda said there are “no moves” afoot to grow sports gambling in Japan, he did not seem to rule them out. “We’ll resume discussions, taking into account changes in the structure of the global sports industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic and digitalization, but when to start the discussions and what to discuss is not yet decided,” he said.
Another obstacle could be opposition from Japan’s professional baseball league, which prohibits gambling and does not support an expansion.
