Japanese Policeman Admits to Gambling Online While on Duty

Japan is firing on all engines as its anti-gambling crusade continues, and the country is drawing closer to the launch of the MGM Osaka, the first of three planned integrated casino resorts to arrive.

While Japan has warmed up to land-based gambling, it has shown nothing but sternness towards the online casino sector. Now, the country has entered a new phase in which it has gone after not just foreign operators, but also the ordinary people who participate in gambling activities themselves.

Japanese Police Officer Resigns Following Admission to Gambling

Japan has publicized these cases to demonstrate that nobody is above the law, and the law currently states that participating in online gambling would entail serious consequences. Police and authorities have gone after celebrities, news anchors, and now, one of their own.

The Kanagawa Prefectural Police has announced that a police officer resigned after he admitted to having gambled online. The officer was first investigated and received a disciplinary action of a 10% pay cut, before he finally admitted last week that he had indeed gambled online on the job.

As to his motive, the police officer simply stated that he believed that it would be an easy way to make money. The officer was accused of having bet about $17,000 or YEN 2.5 million. He placed a total of 500 wagers, which was already illegal, but 120 of these wagers were placed while the officer was also on duty.

While many jurisdictions prohibit people from connecting to illegal gambling websites, few actually go after individuals for simply playing. Japan is an outlier, with the officer accused of connecting to an overseas casino from his smartphone.

Japan Keen to Uproot Gambling, Focusing on Citizens First

The officer gave a full account of his motivation to play, not only the financial reasoning behind it, but also how he became aware that online casinos were available, having heard from a university friend in the past and revisiting his “hobby” in the most recent case.

The Inspector General’s Office, which investigated the officer, said that the actions of the officer had undermined trust in the police and apologized to the people of the prefecture.

“We will thoroughly instruct and educate our staff,” the statement read. This is hardly the first case of a police officer arrested over gambling. While the country continues to crack down on such gambling practices, it’s important to raise awareness and let it be known to the public that gambling is illegal, as well as explain why it is a poor way of making money.