Japan's Boy Band Member Shion Tsurubo Under Probe for Illegal Gambling Online

Police in Japan have sent papers on a member Shion Tsurubo, 24, of JO1 to prosecutors on allegations of engaging in illegal gambling on an online casino site.

Per the Japan Times, Tsurubo has admitted to the allegations.

"I became obsessed with online gambling for a while because it's so easy to access with a smartphone," he was quoted as saying.

Tokyo Metropolitan Police suspect the illegal online casino gambling took place during a period from Dec 2023 to Aug 2024. He admitted to depositing roughly ¥15 million and losing ~¥7.1 million, but stated he did not fully understand the legality.

He is suspected of using his smartphone to access the foreign online casino site named K8 from Japan.

Online gambling—including online casinos, sports betting (outside the few public exceptions), poker for real money, etc.—is illegal in Japan under Chapter 23 of the Penal Code.

Those found to be gambling online in Japan could face a fine up to ¥500,000 and three years imprisonment.  The MPD attached an opinion in favor of "strict punishment" in its papers to prosecutors, asking for an indictment.

Tsurubo says he stopped gambling online in August of 2024 after learning the activity could be a crime. He is believed to have incurred a net loss of about ¥7.1 million.

Tsurubo's talent agency, Lapone Entertainment, announced on May 31 that he had used an online casino in the past. He was suspended from activities for 10 days.

Japan Crackdown on Internet Gambling

Per the World Casino Directory:

Japan’s crackdown is part of its broader efforts to combat illegal gambling and protect citizens from the harms associated with unregulated online casinos. According to government sources, Japan has asked the operators of online casinos licensed in Canada, Costa Rica, Georgia, Malta, Anjouan Island (Comoros), Curacao, the Isle of Man, and Gibraltar to restrict Japanese users from accessing their sites. Despite these sites being legally operated in other jurisdictions, gambling with overseas-based platforms is illegal under Japanese law, and the government is determined to curb the growing problem.

Alongside these diplomatic efforts, Japan is also pushing for stronger domestic legislation to tackle illegal gambling. The country is preparing to introduce a bill that will officially prohibit the promotion, operation, and advertisement of online casinos. The proposed legislation will target both the operation of these websites and the use of referral links, such as those shared on social media, to guide Japanese users to foreign gambling platforms. The bill is expected to be passed by the Japanese parliament by the end of June 2025.

This bill will also focus on raising awareness among the public about the illegality of online casinos. According to a recent survey by Japan’s National Police Agency, an estimated 3.37 million people in the country have used illegal online gambling sites, spending about ¥1.24 trillion (approximately $8.6 billion) annually. Despite these alarming figures, many Japanese residents remain unaware that gambling on such platforms is prohibited by law.