It’s been reported that Japanese police have arrested a man on suspicion of online gambling – in a case they are saying is thought to be the biggest individual betting-related investigation the country have ever seen. With the accused said to have wagered up to 28 billion yen and also working as an affiliate marketer.
Japanese Man Accused Of Placing Bets Worth Over Tens Of Billions Of Yen
The Japanese Metropolitan Police Department have released the name of an individual – Makoto Chomabayashi – who is being investigated for betting online, something that is banned in the country.
However, it’s not just the fact Chomabayashi was placing online casino bets in Japan – it was the size of them that have alerted the authorities.
He’s believed to have wagered up to 90 million yen, which converts to approx. $625,000 – with these bets placed mainly on baccarat with the well-known global online casino Stake.
These bets are said to have been placed between August 2022 and April 2025, say the Japanese police.
On being arrested the accused said, “News reports said there were hundreds of thousands of players in Japan, so I thought I was only the tip of the iceberg,”
Makoto Chomabayash Expected To Have Bet 28 Billion Yen
However, despite these headline figures, those in charge of the investigation are also expecting the amounts wagered to be a lot more – even as high as 28 BILLION yen.
With one billion yen around $7m – then the scale of Makoto Chomabayashi’s betting is vast, and the biggest amount linked to a single individual in a case of illegal online betting in Japan.
But despite the huge wagering figures, it was reported that the accused would have still more likely lost in the region of 40 million yen – which is about $280,000.
In addition to being investigated for his illegal online betting, Chomabayashi is also being linked to working as an affiliate marketer for the same leading international online casino site.
This is backed up with posts on social media – including X – under the name “Meikyo Shisui” – which in Chinese means “clear and serene mind”.
He’s expected to have pushed over 100 new players to the platform by also using the lucrative casino sign-up bonuses and welcome offers they have in place.
And in the process earned affiliate commission payments of up to 7 million yen – around $50,000.
What Is Baccarat?
Baccarat was the online casino game that Makoto Chomabayashi did most of his betting on – but what is it?
For those that don’t know – it’s a casino card where players wager which of two hands – the ‘player’ or the ‘banker’ – will have a total that is closest to nine.
Many say it’s a chance of pure chance with little or no skill involved. It’s popular for the high risks and simplicity.
Online Gambling In Japan Remains Illegal, But Many Still Do It
The only legal forms of gambling in Japan are horse racing, cycling racing, auto racing, boat racing and doing the lottery.
With online gambling still prohibited in Japan and carries a fine of up to 500,000 yen ($3,000) and even up to three years in jail.
However, this still doesn’t deter many gamblers in the country from betting online.
Based on figures from a National Police Agency survey in Japan, they state an estimated 3.37 million people in the country have used online casinos – with bets totalling over 1.24 trillion yen per year.
It also revealed that up to 40 percent of users were not aware this was illegal in Japan.
Andy is an experienced betting and gambling journalist with over 20 years industry experience. He brings an excellent knowledge of the world of sports betting and industry gambling news but is mainly regarded as horse racing expert within the betting world.
