Below is an email I sent with questions, and I would appreciate your response.
Dear Representative Director Mr. Tanaka,
Dear Team Members,
I apologize for the sudden email. My name is Maeda, and I have worked as a payment processing agent (for online casinos) for about three years. On September 26, 2023, I was arrested and reported on. I was convicted of habitual gambling, received a prison sentence, including a suspended sentence.
I have taken note of your efforts to address gambling addiction. I find your activities, such as online consultations and support for families, to be very meaningful.
My Thoughts on Gambling and Addiction
I was a systems engineer for a payment processing company. I have little to no interest in gambling and have never understood the behavior patterns of those who become addicted. I don’t think I will ever become addicted to gambling. However, I am aware that there are indeed people around me who suffer from gambling addiction. I have witnessed how they destroy themselves and those around them and have struggled with how to advise them. Additionally, I have a family member who is severely addicted to alcohol. Despite years of caring for them, I have not been able to stop them. I felt a deep resentment toward the strong canned chuhai they were addicted to. While I am not an addict myself, I believe I understand the sense of despair that comes with being close to someone who is.
My View on Your Efforts
Here are my thoughts, including some criticism. I firmly believe that regulations on online casinos will inevitably result in bad laws. These will not reduce the number of addicts; instead, gambling will go underground, leading to even more serious issues. It will also become a source of funds for organized crime groups. I have read your request letter dated August 6th. Treating foreign operators as perpetrators under Japanese law is practically impossible, and I find the content unrealistic and misguided. The ongoing trend of arresting payment processors as accomplices and prosecuting them as principal offenders will become more common (I am no longer involved in this). If a regulatory law is enacted, it will dangerously expand the power of law enforcement agencies. In an era where hostage justice and wrongful convictions are societal issues, we do not need a new law that lacks practical benefit. Enhancing treatment systems should be a priority in any legal framework, and this would be more feasible.
Your efforts to create awareness content and spread information are commendable. Please continue your work in protecting the most vulnerable, such as children, who are most likely to become victims.
On Reducing Gambling Addiction
I believe that proactive legalization, in line with European standards, is necessary to reduce the number of people suffering from gambling addiction. I have had contact with individuals in the UK and Malta, and I found that they have advanced thoughts on counseling, user management, and anti-money laundering. I would like you to be aware that there are online casino operators who maintain a high level of professionalism and adhere to strict policies. The concept of “RG = Responsibility of Gambling” exists, where the service provider takes responsibility for the user. I am always willing to share my observations if they are of any use.
Personal Opinions
Given my arrest and prosecution, and the fact that recent public awareness and crackdowns have rendered online casinos illegal, I will no longer be involved in this business. However, I believe the true solution to the problem is not harsher punishments or increasing the investigative capabilities of law enforcement. Gambling, as history shows, will never disappear from this world. It is both a form of entertainment and a potential source of crime, similar to a knife. A knife is used in cooking but can also be dangerous if handled improperly. The key is to use such “tools” wisely and responsibly. If handled correctly, online games and online casinos can enrich Japan’s entertainment industry and serve as a means to promote Japanese content to the world. What is needed is proactive legislation and environmental improvements that include electronic management of gambling users, whether in public or private gambling.
I pray that all those suffering from any form of addiction find true relief from their pain.
Questions
1. Why is a special law targeting “online casinos” necessary to address gambling addiction?
2. Do you believe that foreign gambling operators can be regulated under Japanese law? Could you share the opinions of legal experts on this matter?
3. What is your view on the severity of online casinos?
4. After the enactment of special laws regulating online casinos, what kind of society do you foresee? Will gambling addiction decrease? Will illegal jobs or special fraud diminish? What other outcomes do you anticipate?
5. Do you believe there is no need to regulate public gambling?
6. This may be a very rude question, but is your activity funded solely by donations? If you publicly disclose your income and expenditure, could you please share that information?
7. What is your opinion on establishing treatment systems and facilities?
8. Should gambling be completely eradicated from the world?
9. I read your “2024.4 Family Consultation Data Release 2.pdf.” I reviewed the graph on the crime rates among gamblers (categorized as “gamblers excluding online casinos” and “gamblers including online casinos”), and I have doubts about the conclusion that online casino users are more likely to turn to crime. Crime rates for both groups have increased from 2021 to 2023, but what is the reason for concluding, “It turns out that sports betting, including online casinos, is more likely to lead to crime”? I don’t understand the reasoning behind publishing such results without discussing the types and content of the crimes.
10. In the “breakdown of consultations by year” section of “2024.4 Family Consultation Data Release 2.pdf,” despite the fact that pachinko and pachi-slot machines are dominant and public gambling ranks high, why is there a need to solve the problem of online casinos? Please explain from the perspectives of illegality and gambling addiction.
I understand that your activities are very challenging, but I would appreciate your response. Please consider this an open letter. If you wish for your answers to remain confidential, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Yoshiaki Maeda
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