Osaka Police Raid Illegal Casino, Arrest Dozens of People

The Osaka prefecture may soon get its first integrated resort, marking a new age for casino gaming in Japan. However, it seems some people are too eager and don’t feel like waiting, instead resorting to gambling illegally.

According to a report from the Osaka Prefectural Police, local officers raided an illegal casino, arresting dozens of people in the process.

As first reported by Kyodo News, the unlawful property was focused on baccarat, allowing players to circumvent Japan’s strict rules on gambling. Baccarat enthusiasts were allowed to gamble with the minimum wager set at around $200.

The illegal casino was situated on the third and fourth floors of a tenant building in the Minami area in Osaka.  It was operated by a dedicated team of professionals and was constantly open, ready to welcome customers. The property sported a double-door entrance that was kept locked at all times and leveraged a security camera to identify visitors and unlock the door if needed.

Dozens of People Were Arrested, Many Customers Escaped

On Saturday, the police arrested one of the casino’s customers on suspicion of illegal gambling. Thanks to that, the officers were able to learn the whereabouts of the property and raid it.

During the raid, the police managed to arrest the manager of the casino, as well as 29 employees and a single customer. Many of the customers were led out of the property using a hidden staircase, allowing them to escape the police.

The police later learned that the property was run by the 41-year-old Hiroki Morichika.

The Police Apprehended Two Gambling Facilitators

In other news, Japanese authorities recently apprehended two gambling facilitators who allegedly helped other people gamble online. Yoshiaki Maeda and Shinya Tokita, both aged 42, were accused of helping Japanese citizens circumvent the local gambling laws and play gamble using offshore wagering sites.

Experts believe that the two men singlehandedly funneled millions to unlicensed online casinos. According to reports, Maeda and Tokita had as many as 42,000 customers.

Because of the increase in gambling-related crimes, Japan recently increased the reward for crime tips, encouraging people to report suspicious activities.

In the meantime, the central government of Japan just greenlit a revised implementation agreement for Osaka’s integrated resort project, sparking optimism about the future of the MGM Resorts consortium integrated resort. If everything goes according to plan, the resort will house the country’s first legal casino ever.