• Subscribe
  • Magazines
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Friday 4 July 2025
  • zh-hant 中文
  • ja 日本語
  • en English
IAG
Advertisement
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 日本語
No Result
View All Result
IAG
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 日本語
No Result
View All Result
IAG
No Result
View All Result

Potential for sports betting in Japan

Makoto Katayama by Makoto Katayama
Tue 26 Feb 2019 at 11:10
Potential for sports betting in Japan
39
SHARES
769
VIEWS
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The possibility of sports betting being provided in the first phase of Japanese IRs is very low. But is the reason for its exclusion in the IR guidelines contradictory?

Superbowl LIII took place in Atlanta, Georgia on 3 February in the United States, where the New England Patriots booked their sixth championship win.

The score was 13-3 and the end result a decisive win for the -2.5 favored Patriots, but in the third quarter the LA Rams tied the score, which remained 3-3 until partway through the fourth quarter. With a score like that, those who had money riding on the straight win must have been beside themselves.

Of course, we are only talking about those who have the means to make such bets – at the many sports books in major Las Vegas IRs or with a UK bookmaker. This type of official sports betting isn’t currently allowed in Japan.

However, these days a number of Japanese media outlets show UK bookmaker odds when making predictions for the outcome of sporting contests, such as Japan’s matches during last year’s World Cup or Naomi Osaka’s charge to victory at the Australian Open.

There are also many sports newspapers that offer local odds analyses of horses from Japan participating in international races. And the Japanese public loves it.

Sports betting seems to be almost ingrained in Japanese society, but it still has a long way to go to catch up with Europe and the US.

When the government IR Promotion Committee’s summary was announced in July 2017, the list of permissible casino acts (type and method) clearly stated, “The operator shall manage implementation of casino acts, which shall be limited to acts for which fairness can be ensured. For example, gambling on competitions implemented by other parties such as sports betting, or simple betting between customers shall not be allowed.”

As of today there have been no amendments to this wording and if there aren’t any going forward, the possibility of sports betting being provided in the first phase of Japanese IRs is extremely low.

However, the reality is that sports betting is already happening in Japan under the moniker “toto” for the results of soccer matches. This certainly falls into the category of “betting on competitions executed by other parties” and is extremely popular not only for J-League matches but also saw wide sales during the 2018 World Cup.

Furthermore, during Japan’s off-season, the “Overseas toto” allows customers to bet on Germany’s Bundesliga and England’s Premier League as well. Does that mean even matches held outside of Japan are considered as matches “for which fairness can be ensured”?

If that’s the case, then why has all sports betting been removed from the types of gambling that will be allowed in Japanese casinos?

Horse racing remains extremely popular in Japan

First of all, toto is interpreted not as gambling, but as a “prediction lot” sold based on the “Law pertaining to implementation of sports promotion voting (lottery)”. The revenue is used for sports promotion, so it is characterized differently than the 30% GGR that casino operators will pay as tax to the national treasury.

The other and perhaps most important point is that the payout rate for toto in its current state is low at only around 50%. It couldn’t possibly stand up to a potential sports book in Japan that would have a 90% payout.

From the perspective of the desire to contribute to our nation’s sports promotion while also enjoying the pastime of sports betting, the ideal plan would be for toto to compromise by increasing the payout as well as the sports offered, so that someday it can coexist with a sportsbook system.

RelatedPosts

APAC-facing gaming companies to see 70% aggregated EBITDA decline in 2020: Moody’s

The APAC iGaming Boom: Key trends and strategies in 2025

Wed 2 Jul 2025 at 15:37
Editorial – An inconvenient truth

Editorial – An inconvenient truth

Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 15:21
Light & Wonder’s Siobhan Lane

Light & Wonder’s Siobhan Lane

Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 15:19
Honesty is the best policy

Honesty is the best policy

Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 14:13
Load More
Share20Share2
Makoto Katayama

Makoto Katayama

After completing both undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Agriculture, majoring in veterinary medicine, Katayama spent 28 years as the horse racing specialist for the evening Nikkan Gendai. For the second half of that stint he has served as Predictions Managing Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He now develops the weekend horse racing predictions for Yuukan Fuji. He has 29 years’ experience in the casino industry and plays a mean game of blackjack, not to mention the occasional game of poker.

Current Issue

Editorial – An inconvenient truth

Editorial – An inconvenient truth

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 15:21

It’s understandable that political observers, academics and members of the public in greenfield jurisdictions would express caution around the legalization...

Light & Wonder’s Siobhan Lane

Light & Wonder’s Siobhan Lane

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 15:19

Siobhan Lane, Light & Wonder’s highly experienced CEO of Gaming, speaks to Inside Asian Gaming about the company’s ongoing transformation...

Honesty is the best policy

Honesty is the best policy

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 14:13

The Thailand Entertainment Complex Roundtable brought industry stakeholders, politicians and supporters of the government’s Entertainment Complex Bill face to face...

Sri Lanka’s casino industry

Sri Lanka’s casino industry

by Shaun McCamley
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 13:36

Industry veteran Shaun McCamley delves into the complex history of Sri Lanka’s casino industry at a time when the country...

Evolution Asia
Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
Aristocrat
GLI
Nustar
SABA
Mindslot
Solaire
Hann
Tecnet
NWR
Jumbo
568Win

Related Posts

Light & Wonder’s Siobhan Lane

Light & Wonder’s Siobhan Lane

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 15:19

Siobhan Lane, Light & Wonder’s highly experienced CEO of Gaming, speaks to Inside Asian Gaming about the company’s ongoing transformation into a content powerhouse and reveals where Asia fits into the journey. Ben Blaschke: Thanks for speaking with IAG, Siobhan....

Sri Lanka’s casino industry

Sri Lanka’s casino industry

by Shaun McCamley
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 13:36

Industry veteran Shaun McCamley delves into the complex history of Sri Lanka’s casino industry at a time when the country is slowly but surely making moves to establish a genuine regulatory framework. Sri Lanka’s casino industry has a vibrant yet...

Behind the curtain

Behind the curtain

by Newsdesk
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 12:40

Hospitality logistics firm BCI Worldwide has firmly established its presence in Macau, playing a part in some of the city’s most iconic integrated resort development projects. Macau, the “Las Vegas of Asia”, is a city synonymous with opulent resorts, world-class...

Of fortune or misfortune

Of fortune or misfortune

by Pierce Chan
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 12:32

At the beginning of June, the Macau government announced that all 11 of the city’s satellite casinos would be shut down this year. The sudden news shocked the community and has led many to question whether the complete closure of...



IAG

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • NEWSFEED
  • MAG ARTICLES
  • VIDEO
  • OPINION
  • TAGS
  • REGIONAL
  • EVENTS
  • CONSULTING
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • MAGAZINES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE
  • 日本語

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • 日本語
  • Subscribe
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • About
  • Home for G2E Asia

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • English
  • 日本語