Japanese Baseballers Who Self-Reported Illegal Gambling Dodge Charges

Japanese authorities have been determined to uproot illegal gambling in the country by first focusing on their citizens. While most jurisdictions have formal laws against illegal gambling and even explicitly prohibit participation in gambling activities that are not regulated, the majority of countries have chosen not to enforce those laws against ordinary people or even celebrities.

Japan Goes After Individuals Who Gamble

However, Japan is a different story. The country has actively brought to justice the people playing at websites that are not licensed in the country and has insisted that the onus is on the consumer to know what is right and what is wrong.

There has been little leniency shown to individuals who engaged in gambling. However, the country has been prepared to work with people who have self-reported before being discovered. This is the case of a number of prominent baseball stars who have stepped forward and confirmed that they have indeed gambled online.

Normally, being found guilty of gambling illegally could fetch a person up to three years’ prison time as well as a fine of about $3,300. However, the baseball players in question will avoid these consequences as they have stepped forward and acknowledged mea culpa, adding that they were unaware that gambling was illegal.

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors’ Office has confirmed that the players in question, Rui Okoye and Daiki Masuda, will avoid charges and will not face any consequences for their activities. Both players used mobile apps to gamble, but these apps are not licensed or regulated in Japan, as is not online casino gambling.

Admittance of Guilt Seems to Appease Prosecutors

This could set a precedent for other similar cases, with police authorities looking to raise awareness about illegal gambling more so than outright punishing wrongdoers. Exonerating high-profile individuals such as athletes could help others cease their gambling and even step forward and confess.

However, not all people will be let off the hook. Multiple employees at Fuji TV, a popular broadcast network, were arrested for their alleged illegal gambling that ran in the hundreds of thousands.

The most prominent case involves that of network head Yoshitaka Suzuki, who denied that he had gambled when an internal investigation was launched, and only later admitted when police got involved. Japan even arrested a man who is said to have spent $194 million gambling in the space of five years – a very unlikely figure.

Apart from athletes and news anchors, musicians have similar come under scrutiny by Japanese authorities.