Online Casino Japan Guide 2024 ▶️ Safe Japanese Games and Bonuses

While this page will deal primarily with online casinos in Japan, we do have a section devoted to land-based casinos & resorts that you can skip to. Otherwise, settle in as we present to you the best online casinos in Japan.

The Top Trusted Online Casinos in Japan

You’ve come for the main event, and we won’t delay any longer. In the table below, you’ll find every top online casino Japan has to offer. All of the below sites scored highly with us for their high-quality game libraries, top-of-the-line software and stellar safety features.

Though each casino online Japan has to offer has its own unique selling point, what they all have in common is a commitment to player security and entertainment. Regardless of which site you choose from the table above, you’ll be guaranteed high-security measures, great games and rewarding bonuses.

We know every player has different needs when it comes to choosing an online casino, so we have attempted to dig a bit deeper into specific aspects about individual operators. The lists below suggest the best in specific categories for your consideration.

Which Is the Best Japanese Casino Website?

Choosing the most accurate Japan online casino for you comes down to what you want to experience as a gambler and also what kind of games and perks you expect to receive in return for your loyalty. To simplify things for you, we’ve prepared a nice table containing the winners across the most famous categories found at the online casinos in Japan.

Aside from being a hub for each respected gambling subcategory, every recommended casino online Japan has to offer is well-known for its stellar security features and licenses from the relevant regulatory bodies. You will find us mentioning this on more than one occasion, but we can’t stress enough how important safety is in the online gambling sector. Anyway, if our Japanese readers are into complex casino experiences and a high degree of fairness and transparency, our selection is your best bet.

Best Japan Online Casino Sites at a Glance – 2024‘s Test Winner

While the online casinos in Japan we’ve featured here all performed wonderfully in our test, one site stood head and shoulders above the rest. This operator really impressed us with its high-security measures, varied game library and rewarding promotions. Therefore, we’ve named it our top pick overall.

If the above details appeal to you, simply click the link provided to be taken directly to the casino’s welcome offer. Otherwise, if you’d like to better understand how we came to choose this operator over all the others, stick around while we explain our expert testing criteria.

A Guide to the Best Casino Sites in Japan

You might be wondering how we go about choosing the approved sites we feature here. For us, testing always starts with security. Player safety is our number one priority, so we only ever feature Japanese gambling sites that have the appropriate licences and encryption software to keep their customers safe.

Beyond the question of security for the best online casinos in Japan, we have a set of criteria that serves as our guideline when we review operators. If, for whatever reason, you decide against joining any of the sites we’ve featured on this page, you can use the following criteria in your search for all online casinos Japan has to offer.

Though each of the above criteria is important, safety should always come out on top. There is no point risking your money or online safety by breaking Japanese gambling laws and playing at an illegal, fraud or otherwise shady site.

1. Safety and Scam Protection when Playing for Real Money

When playing for real money at an online casino in Japan, it’s crucial that you know that your money and data are safe. There are a number of ways to establish the safety of safe online casino Japan operators, but it all starts with understanding the basic gambling laws of the country.

The first thing you should understand, is that while Japanese online casinos are not explicitly legal or illegal, there is currently no national regulatory body that issues licences to a good online casino Japan might wish to launch. This means that players must screen for legitimate licences from other, international regulatory bodies.

When it comes to foreign regulators, the most well-respected bodies are the UKGC, the MGA and the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority. Licenses from one or all of these authorities are a strong indicator of a site’s trustworthiness.

To check for a casino’s licensing information, all you have to do is scroll to the bottom of your chosen casino site. At the bottom of the page, you should find the logos for one or more of the aforementioned regulatory bodies. All of our top Japan online casino picks hold valid licenses from one or more of these bodies.

Safest Online Casinos in Japan:

• Vera & John
• Casino Secret
• Lucky Niki
• BitCasino.io
• BONS
• Pinnacle
• Spin Palace
• 888casino
• JackpotCity

Taking the time to check the security of a site is not only crucial but also very simple and quick. However, if you don’t want to take the time to check it out for yourself, you can trust that we’ve checked and confirmed the safety of the the best casino online Japan sites.

2. Secure Online Casino Japan Deposits and Withdrawals

One thing you don’t want to take for granted when playing at an online casino in Japan is the availability of payment methods. The best sites will always provide a broad selection of financial options for you so that you can choose the method with which you feel the most comfortable.

Naturally, this is something that can differ a great deal depending on your region or market, as some payment methods will be available in some countries and unavailable in others. Therefore, it’s important to check whether your preferred method is eligible in your region.

You will also find that some Japanese casinos bonuses exclude certain payment methods from the offer. This means that any deposits made using excluded options will not trigger the deal. Just another reason to pay close attention to the fine print.

2.1. PayPal: Recommended Payment Method

Wherever available, we recommend that players use PayPal. This is for a number of reasons, all of which account for why PayPal is one of the most popular payment methods among online casino players. For starters, it’s a very widely available method found at many online casinos in Japan.

It also has the benefit of added security, as PayPal is well-known for its strong data encryption software. Also, by using this or any other e-Wallet service, you will never be required to share your bank details directly with a Japan online casino.

Most of the sites we’ve featured on this page accept PayPal, but of all of them, we feel the above operator is the best of the bunch. If you’d like to start playing and making payments now, feel free to click on the links provided. Otherwise, stick around for the low down on limits and fees.

2.2. Limits and Fees at Online Casinos in Japan

Another aspect of making payments that could influence your decisions is processing time and limits. Each payment method will have a different processing time, and the minimum and maximum deposits and withdrawals will also vary across the financial tools.

Taking a look at the data above, you should be able to compare and contrast to find the best payments for you. Naturally, methods with higher deposit limits will be preferable to Japanese high rollers, and lower processing times are favourable pretty much across the board.

3. Reliable Customer Support Service

Customer service is often overlooked by players, but it plays a key role in the overall online casino experience. Should you run into any issues during your visit, you need to know that there’s a professional support team on standby to help with your queries.

Ideally, customer support should be reachable through a variety of methods, such as phone, email and live chat. There should also be a thorough and detailed FAQ section for troubleshooting. Below, we’ve listed the Japan online casino sites when it comes to customer service.

The Japan online casino sites with the best customer service:

• Vera & John
• Casino Secret
• Lucky Niki
• BitCasino.io
• BONS
• Pinnacle
• Spin Palace
• 888casino
• JackpotCity

Though it is highly unlikely that you’ll run into any significant issues when playing at our recommended online casinos in Japan, we hope you can rest assured that quality help is at hand should anything go awry.

4. Transparent and Fair Casino Bonus Terms for Japanese Players

Bonuses are one of the most popular – and successful – ways in which an online casino in Japan advertises itself. While on this page we’ll be looking more exclusively at welcome bonuses in online casinos in Japan, each website hosts a slew of other exciting and attractive ongoing promotions.

For casino newcomers, choosing a best online casino bonus in Japan can often feel overwhelming. To make the process easier, there are a couple of specific terms to watch out for. One is “wagering requirements”. This refers to the amount of times you’re required to wager the value of your deposit and/or bonus funds before you can withdraw.

Next is “period of validity”. This refers to the timeframe in which you must meet the wagering. Low wagering requirements and a long period of validity are ideal, as it gives players a more realistic chance of meeting the bonus terms before it becomes void.

5. Rich Japan Online Casino Games Selection

Of course, a Japanese online casino isn’t worth anything without its games. Each of our selectees is jam-packed with thrilling and beautifully-looking table games and slots. For the full overview, take a look at the following tables below and get an idea of what’s available to Japanese players.

Out of all the sites we tested, one stood out the most with its stellar selection of high-quality games. If you want to experience the very best of what online casino games have to offer, we cannot recommend the site below highly enough.

A List of the Best Online Casino Games in Japan

We’ve already touched upon some of the games available to casino online Japan players, but to give you a better overview we’ve assembled the below list. This should give you the best possible idea of what’s on offer. Without further ado, here’s the list of all the top online casino games in Japan:

• Video slots – Stunning graphics, great features and tons of themes.
• Classic slots – Classic “fruit machine” games with 3 rows and reels.
• Blackjack – Simple rules and high RTPs.
• Roulette – The glamorous spinning wheel that is a feature of every casino.
• Baccarat – An Eastern favourite with easy rules and great returns.
• Craps – The classic dice game is a true game of chance.
• Texas hold’em – One of the most popular poker variants worldwide.
• Three card poker – A easy, pared-down poker variant perfect for newcomers.
• Caribbean stud poker – Another hugely popular poker variant, widely available.
• Video poker – The classic card game updated with sterling graphics.
• Sic bo – The Chinese dice game is an Asian casino staple.
• Hi-lo – Beautifully simple and endlessly entertaining.
• Bingo – One of the most popular social games in the world.
• Keno – Bingo’s cousin, and widely available at online casinos.
• Lottery – One of the oldest gambling activities.
• Arcade games – The new frontier of online gambling, with innovative features.
• Scratch cards – Winning is as easy as scratching away on a card.

As you can see above, there are plenty of great games to choose from when playing from an online casino in Japan. However, be aware that all of the casinos featured here are based off-shore, so the games available reflect Western tastes more accurately than Japanese tastes.

6. Games from Leading Software Providers

As we mentioned earlier in this online casino Japan review, software from leading providers can be another good indicator of a site’s trustworthiness. As you become more familiar with the best online casinos in Japan, you’ll start to recognize some of the biggest names in the business, like Microgaming and Playtech.

But software concerns don’t stop with just the games available, it’s also worth considering how the software stands up across various devices. The best providers will adopt a mobile-first approach to development, meaning you can play their products on your phone or tablet.

What You Need to Know to Play Legally in the Country

The best advice we can give to any prospective player is to become acquainted with the legal situation before you go in search of an online casino. This is especially important for Japanese players, as online casinos are not explicitly legal in Japan.

Online casinos in Japan exist in something of a legal grey area. While digital operators cannot operate from Japan, Japanese players can still legally access and play at offshore sites. The current legal situation around casinos in general is still very much in flux, and could change in the near future.

Gambling Laws and Authorities in Japan

At the time of writing this page, we can firmly conclude that gambling laws in Japan are quite restrictive. There are only a few gambling activities that are legal, and these include bets on horse racing, powerboat racing, motorcycle racing, lotteries and Pachinko.

In 2018, new legislation was introduced to pave the way for a select number of land-based casino resorts, but to date, no progress has been made. As a result, there currently are no land-based casinos in Japan, and Japanese-run online casinos remain illegal.

At the beginning of 2020, the Japanese government founded the Casino Administration Committee. The Committee is tasked with licencing the upcoming land-based casino resorts in Tokyo, Osaka and Yokohama. Currently, the Committee is part of the Cabinet Office.

For now, it’s uncertain if the Committee will be tasked with licencing any online casino Japan will establish in the future. As a fairly new government body, there is little information available to the public, but this is sure to change in the coming months.

Gambling Taxation – Do You Owe Taxes After a Win?

Currently, in the casino online Japan field, gambling winnings are not taxed. There have been efforts in the past to introduce taxes on gambling – in particular on foreign gambling sites – but to date, none of these proposed legislations has been passed or discussed to be implemented.

That is not to say, however, that gambling, in general, is not taxed in the country of the rising sun. Instead, it is typically the gambling operators who absorb any tax costs. This is fairly standard across many of the world’s gambling markets.

Japan’s stance on taxes is similar to other East Asian gambling markets, such as Hong Kong. Taking a broader, more global look, few countries apply taxes to gambling winnings – and for those that do, the percentage tends to be quite low.

Most Important Legal Texts

The most important legal text in any discussion of gambling in Japan is the Criminal Code chapter 23. This is the legal text that outlines which gambling activities are and are not lawful within the nation of Japan. The criminal code was passed in 1907, and over the years has accommodated some exceptions.

For instance, football pools, bets on various forms of racing (horse, motorcycle and power boat), as well as Pachinko and lotteries are all legal. The justification for these exceptions is that they provide entertainment and tourism opportunities for various regions of the country.

What Might the Future Hold

While it is uncertain what the future might hold for online casinos in Japan, we can certainly look more clearly towards the opening of land-based casinos in the country. Given the recent establishment of the Casino Administration Committee, we can hopefully look forward to developments soon.

As has happened in other countries, it could be that online casino legislation will follow, pending the success of land-based casinos in the country. Until the long-promised resorts open their doors, however, it’s simply too early to tell what we can look forward to in the near future.

Comparison with Other Markets

When compared to neighbouring markets, Japan’s gambling market is quite standard. Elsewhere in East Asia, the regulations regarding both online and land-based casino activities tend to be quite restrictive. Casinos are, largely, banned throughout this region.

Like other Asian markets, there are exceptions made for various forms of race bets – which tend to provide a more general form of entertainment to the public, as well as present opportunities for tourism.

Curious Facts About the Market

One of the most curious things about the Japanese gambling market is that despite its restrictive nature, it has inspired a host of different fictional media. Various films, games and manga from the nation depict gambling activities, both legal and illegal.

Much of these stories overlap with gamblers or Yakuza media. This isn’t all that surprising, as the Yakuza have been known to operate illegal casinos throughout the nation. These casinos would typically offer classic table games as well as Mahjong.

Gambling Statistics

Despite the restrictive laws, gambling accounts for a significant portion of Japan’s GDP. Pachinko, in particular, accounts for 4% of the GDP. This represents a gross revenue in excess of $150bn USD (15.854.025.000.000,00 Yen) annually.

Bets on motorboat races follow behind, regularly netting over $8bn (845.716.000.000,00 Yen). Though the industry clearly has its benefits for the nation’s economy, sadly, not all the statistics are positive ones.

For instance, it is reported that an estimated 3.6% of Japanese adults have been addicted to gambling at some point in their lives. This figure is quite high compared to the average 1-2% in other developed nations. The most popular game among those studies was pachinko.

Though some of the Pachinko statistics are worrying, there has been a noted downturn in Pachinko’s popularity in recent years. Naturally, it will take some time before this downturn has a negative effect on the GDP, but Pachinko parlour operators are already feeling the pinch.

A large reason for the change is the rise of illegal mobile gambling apps. Young people, in particular, have been downloading apps in which players can play rock-paper-scissors for large payouts. Though the government is trying to stamp out these apps, many are still in operation.

Gambling Resorts

As has been touched upon on this page already, there are currently no legal gambling resorts in Japan. While plans for resorts to be built in Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka have been in the works for a few years now, the ground has yet to be broken on any of these projects.

With the foundation of the Gambling Administration Committee, things could start progressing in earnest soon. Be sure to check back to this page often, as we will update this page to reflect all of the latest developments regarding land-based casinos in Japan.

Famous Japanese Gamblers

Due to the restrictive nature of the nation’s gambling laws, there are very few famous Japanese gamblers who made names for themselves. Rather, many of them had to journey abroad to show off their skills.

As the laws become laxer and, with the promised opening of Japanese casinos, this could change soon. In the meantime, feel free to read a short piece about one of the most famous Japanese gamblers below.

FAQ

We’ve done our best to bring you the most accurate, up-to-the-minute information alongside the list of the safe online casinos Japan has to offer. However, if there’s anything you’re still unsure about, feel free to take a look at our frequently asked questions below.

Top Offer for Playing Real Money Games in Japan

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading. We hope this page was of use to you. If you’re ready to start playing for real money, we recommend our top Japanese real money online casino below. You can go straight to the operator using the link provided.