June 29

Online gambling players are always interested in the latest land casino news, too. Some online gambling players think Japan will be the next place to become a popular area for legalized gambling.

In Asia now, we are witnessing a continuing surge in casino resorts in Macau. Even Singapore has interest in gambling.

Not just online gambling players are thinking of Japan, an expert from Osaka University of Commerce believes Japan will fall in line, too.

Japan's Liberal Party launched a series of investigations regarding legalized gambling for the country. The studies were run by a man by the name of Ichiro Tanioka

Tanioka noted that there is already a vast amount illegal gambling taking place in Japan. He added that the number of gaming devices and machines operating in the island country surpasses slot machines worldwide.

He goes on in his report by stating that there are already approximately 200,000 unlawfully operated underground casino bars. This amount of illegal casino nightclubs probably generates nearly $10 billion (US) in earnings each year. 

The study states that there are probably 5 million pachinko-type machines (slots) operating in Japan currently. There are only 2.4 million legal slots operating worldwide. In addition to this, there is currently legalized betting in Japan on horse, bicycle, boat and motorcycle racing. Race wagering started its way into law late in the 40's, by the 1950's all of the above forms of wagering were completely legalized.

Wagering on racing was legalized in the late 1940s and early 1950s in Japan. A national lottery was approved in 1948 and sports betting was permitted in 1998.

The study clearly states that the general public in Japan condones gambling. In the last decade, most people living in Japan have become very tolerant of this type of entertainment.

Ten different locations are currently targeted for possible construction of legal casinos. The next step will have the Liberal Party persuading the Japanese government to legalize gambling. Then, who will be approved to operate and own them.

We will be following this story in our online gambling new section here at Gambling PhD.