Best Online Casinos for Japanese Players

Introduction

Gamblers in Japan have a nearly unlimited selection of online casinos to play at. The downside is that none of them are specifically legal for the operator to deliver or for the players to bet at. Online wagering is only allowed on horse racing, motorboat racing, bicycle racing, and motorcycle racing that are operated and self-regulated by the Japanese government or municipal bodies. 

Online lottery purchases from government bodies and sports promotion lotteries issued by the Sports Council are also permitted. On land, punters will find thousands of Pachinko parlors which are allowed to circumvent the gambling laws by crafty workarounds on transactions as well as a sort of cultural carve-out. By 2030, the first Integrated Resort casino will open in Osaka.

That leaves players with only one option to play real money casino games online and that is to take the gamble further and gamble in contravention of the rules, regulations, and law. While there may be thousands of online operators that will take your action, not all of them are serious gaming sites that operate with integrity or even a sense of social responsibility in some cases. We feel that the following sites are the best for Japanese players:

Recommended Online Casinos

Tips for Japanese Online Gambling

Our website has many resources to help find a safe and sane place to play and we can also recommend a few other sites that give players in Japan the information they need to make informed decisions. There are a few factors to consider if you decide to play online, here are a few of them:

• Terms and Conditions

Don't be intimidated the first time you open an online gaming house's terms and conditions. Some of them are lengthy and confusing at first glance. You won't need to parse it like a bengoshi, but there are certain things you will want to find out about that might not be included in "one click away" bonus terms or otherwise easily discerned.

A few minutes spent learning about an operator's policies such as country restrictions, maximum weekly or monthly withdrawal limits, payment pending times, ID validation, etc., can save a lot of time and potentially, disappointment or frustration later. 

• Bonus terms

Just like with general terms and conditions, there are important considerations found in the separate bonus terms if you plan to play with bonus funds. The basic gambling contract can become a bit more complicated when using a bonus but as long as you understand that there might be certain bet level limits, rollover or wagering requirements, and potentially even a max win level when using a bonus you'll be able to make an informed decision and balance the pros and cons of the offer before deciding whether or not to accept it. Many of these terms are included in the actual offer, but almost all offers will also point you to the overall bonus terms.

• Honest reviews from reputable platforms

In addition to professional reviewers' evaluations of any gaming operation, it can be very helpful to read what other players have to say about a place - both the good and the bad. Look for ratings on trusted sites, these are often a direct reflection of punters' up or downvotes about their overall experience. Some casino listings are also ranked according to those ratings so a site at or near the top with a lot of votes might be the best place to play - it can certainly be the best place to start your own more in-depth analysis of a gaming house.

Following are a few of the online portals we trust to provide critical and unbiased reviews.

Trusted Portals

• LCB.org
• WorldCasinoDirectory.com
• KeyToCasinos.com

Look at our blacklist and others so that you can avoid any gambling hubs on the list. Operators that appear on these lists have breached player trust multiple times in one way or another and gambling on whether you will get paid after already winning the games is not worth the effort. Simply avoid any gambling hub on the blacklists and you will be miles ahead.

Live Dealer options for Japanese punters

While digital animated random number generator card games and table games have their advantages, there's nothing quite like the thrill of playing against a live dealer. Live dealer lobbies are open in most internet gaming houses nowadays and they can deliver the feeling of live gaming floor play without ever leaving your home. If you want to play roulette or any other live dealer table games, we suggest checking out these websites:

Licensed casinos in Japan

There aren't any licensed and regulated online casinos inside Japan. However, well over 99% of all online operations are licensed somewhere and all of them adhere to certain minimum best practices requirements. Jurisdictions such as the UK and Malta provide the best protections, especially in terms of responsible gambling requirements, but operators in many other jurisdictions will also provide at least minimum protections.

Casino Trust and Security

No matter where a gambling hub is licensed and regulated, the final decision to play will come down to trust. The site must offer a secure environment and it must be licensed. The operator's licensing seal will appear near the bottom of the web page when you visit a site. In most cases, the seal must also be a live link that will take you to an official copy of the gaming certificate that will include information about the licensor and the licensed property.

In some cases, further links will be provided to independent third-party testing certificates from auditors such as iTech Labs and eCOGRA. You may be able to view the random number generator certificate or game bonafides as well as return to player (RTP) statistics for the slots or digital table games.

Banking information for Japanese players

Reliable online gambling payment methods can be harder for Japanese players to come by than for players in some other, more liberalized jurisdictions. That's not to say it will be a constant struggle, especially if a player is well-versed in cryptocurrencies and the way they move to and fro. There are other alternatives that we list here, some of them like Venus Point were crafted by financial entrepreneurs specifically for players in your market.

As laws and enforcement priorities change, so must player strategies to maintain a friction-free flow of deposits as well as withdrawals. Because of this, sometimes the best course of action is to go to the banking or payments area of a casino that allows players from Japan. Look for ways to make deposits and withdrawals that you are comfortable with. Customer service can also help. All of the payment methods you see listed here should work just fine as long as they appear in the casino cashier where you intend to gamble.

Written by: Michael Shackleford