Japan’s casino concerns lead to new curbs on race betting

Concerns over Japan’s plans to introduce casino gambling have resulted in new curbs on the country’s other forms of legal gambling.

As Japanese legislators continue to limp toward finishing their secondary casino legislation, they are ever mindful of public concerns that the nation’s already large percentage of problem gamblers once fare even worse with newer, flashier legal gambling options arrive. A new government study of gambling addiction rates is scheduled to be completed next month.

On Tuesday, the Japan Times reported that cabinet ministers had announced a number of new curbs on existing gambling activities, including unspecified ceilings on how much racing punters can wager online. The online betting limits, which won’t take effect until fiscal 2022, will affect Japan’s legal horse, bicycle, motorcycle and powerboat racing operators.

The government also intends to accelerate plans to eliminate the presence of automatic teller machines from land-based racing events and off-site betting offices. Two of Japan’s three bicycle racing venues have already removed their ATMs this month. The ATMs still in operation at betting venues will have their cash advance functions disabled by the end of March 2018.