Gambling in Japan: Where is legal and where is illegal?

First of all, let's take a look at "What is gambling?" Gambling is "competing for profit or loss of property or property by accidental winning or losing." It refers to the act of betting on what is worthwhile for an event that the future cannot foresee, resulting in a “gain” or a “loss”.

So what happens when you make this gambling? Articles 185 and 186 of the Penal Code specify penalties for gambling (addiction) and opening a book. However, it does not mean that any gambling is subject to penalties, and that "this is not the case if you only bet on something for temporary entertainment."

Regarding the interpretation of this sentence, opinions are divided even among lawyers, but precedents say that white bowls and cigarettes consumed on the spot are white, and that if you bet money, one yen is black. Yes (and note that these precedents are prewar).

That is the basic knowledge about gambling in Japan.

Legal and gray mixed

Well, under Japanese law, we have sorted out that gambling is a crime, but in real life we ​​can play a lot of gambling. Now, let's look at this contradiction.

In Japan, there are five types of gambling that can be performed within the range of general social life.

1. Horse racing, boat racing, bicycle racing, auto racing

2. Lottery, toto

3. Pachinko, pachislot

4. Mahjong

5. Online gambling

These can be done as soon as you think, but the conclusion is that only 1,2 is legal, and 3,4,5 are not legal (they are not illegal and are gray). . Gray gambling exists next to everyday life. 토토 And the problem is that the people who participate in 3,4,5 are enthusiastic about gambling without worrying about their legal status.

In the following, in order to think about this "abnormal situation", we will summarize the environment surrounding each gambling.