Japan Casino Watchdog Gets New Leader
Expertise: iGaming, Online casinos
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Before joining the commission, Shimada had a stint at the nation’s Ministry of Finance. He takes over from Takuya Sakaguchi, who is concluding his two-year term.
Under Japan’s law, the five key members of the commission’s senior leadership, including the Secretary-General, must be nominated by the Diet, the country’s parliament. Since January 7, the commission has been under the chairmanship of Takafumi Sato, who previously held the position of superintendent prosecutor at the Takamatsu High Public Prosecutors Office.
Shimada is the second appointment the commission has made this year, following the nomination of Junichi Kakimizu, former head of the National Tax College under the National Tax Agency. The new appointments reflect the commission’s standard practice of rotating members every five years since its inception in January 2020.
Shimada will work alongside other current members of the commission, including Michiko Watari, a psychiatrist; Hirofumi Kitamura, a former director of the National Police Agency; and Keiko Ishikawa, an economics professor at Nihon University.
Earlier this year, Japan’s cabinet earmarked JPY3.71 billion (US$25.6 million) for the Japan Casino Regulatory Commission, a minimal increase from the budget of JPY3.70 billion in 2024. Key allocations in the 2025 budget include JPY2.26 billion for personnel and operational costs, up by JPY30 million year-on-year, JPY630 million for regulatory supervision, and JPY220 million for licensing and equipment checks.
The commission was established in 2023 to implement licensing and regulatory frameworks for casinos.
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As Japan lays the groundwork for its land-based casino sector, the country is simultaneously cracking down on illegal online gaming. Authorities heightened their anti-illegal gambling efforts after a May report revealed that illegal sports betting volume in the country reached JPY6.45 trillion, or $45 billion, in 2024.
Last week, the nation’s parliament passed a bill banning ads and promotional materials that entice people to online casino websites.
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