• A new survey estimates that as much as $45bn was wagered on illegal sports websites in 2024
• The activity is mostly tied to baseball and soccer, along with other sports
• Despite the strong uptake in illegal wagering, there is little willingness to legalize sports gambling domestically

According to the Council for Sports Ecosystem Promotion (C-SEP), illegal wagering in Japan reached $45bn (6.45tn yen) in 2024 alone. The findings were presented during a symposium held in Toyo on May 14, Mainichi, a local media reported, laying bare the reach and appeal of sports betting within the country.

Japan shapes out to be a nation of sports bettors, wagering billions

Rather than sit out and miss on opportunities to place a wager, however, most Japanese sports bettors have opted for overseas sportsbooks, plowing significant amounts into the activity.

To figure out the exact amount that has been wagered, C-SEP had to use a different approach as the majority of sportsbooks would hardly reveal the betting handle they are processing from Japan, especially given the unregulated status of the conducted activity.

Rather than rely on betting company data, C-SEP consulted overseas partners as well as internet service providers to try and extrapolate the total amount that was wagered. Thus, C-SEP concluded that about 1tn yen was placed on domestic sports, with pro baseball leading the way, with $3.68bn in total handle.

Soccer came a close second, generating about $2.32bn of the estimated wagering handle in 2024, and baseball brought in around $606m. This comes against a larger contextual backdrop that there may be a market for professional Japanese sport estimated at $34.18bn globally, as the country continues to deliver some of the best athletic competitions.

Despite a huge betting handle, there is little interest in legalizing sports gambling

Japan’s soft spot for baseball has made it more than a blip on the radar for many sportsbooks overseas, and international fans. Against this backdrop, nobody seems to be moving towards the regulation of the sector. Japan is currently working out the final details of an upcoming integrated resort project – the MGM Osaka, which should be joined by two other mega-projects.

Despite the focus on land-based gambling in the designated areas, online gambling, whether it concerns sports or casinos, is actually prohibited. The Diet, the country’s legislative body, recently announced plans to pass new anti-gambling laws that specifically focus on iGaming and minimizing its influence while also boosting awareness for key issues such as addiction and gambling-related harm.

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