This comprehensive examination of illegal online casino access prevention measures was presented in the interim summary (draft) at the 6th meeting of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Study Group on Access Prevention Measures for Online Casinos."
Current Understanding of Online Casino Issues
Background of Social Problem Development
- Rapid expansion of illegal gambling through the internet
- Increase in users centered on young people and deepening severity of damages
- Difficulty in tracking fund movements due to diversification of payment methods
- Limitations in enforcement due to access via overseas servers
Legal Position and Challenges
- Use of online casinos from within Japan constitutes gambling crimes under criminal law
- Difficulty in law enforcement when operators are overseas
- Need to address the cross-border nature of the internet
- Importance of balancing with freedom of expression and secrecy of communications
Examination of Access Prevention Methods
Evaluation of Technical Methods
- Effectiveness and limitations of DNS blocking and IP address blocking
- Access restrictions to specific sites through URL filtering
- Making discovery difficult through exclusion from search engines
- Examination of countermeasures against circumvention methods such as VPNs
Voluntary Efforts by Businesses
- Possibility of self-regulation by Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
- Advertisement placement restrictions by platform operators
- Suspension of payment services by payment operators
- Development of voluntary guidelines by industry associations
Regulatory Trends and Comparisons in Other Countries
Countermeasures in Major Countries
- Operational status of blocking systems in European countries
- State-level regulatory approaches in the United States
- Strict enforcement and technical measures in Asian countries
- Need for cross-border measures through international coordination
Implications for Japan
- Importance of combining legal systems and technical measures
- Need to build cooperative systems with private businesses
- Strengthening user awareness and education
- Strengthening cooperation with addiction countermeasures
Legal and Institutional Issues
Relationship with Secrecy of Communications
- Examination of the scope of constitutional protection for secrecy of communications
- Ensuring constitutionality and legality of access prevention measures
- System design limited to minimum necessary restrictions
- Ensuring transparency and accountability
Consideration for Freedom of Expression
- Avoiding impact on freedom of expression through excessive regulation
- Risk management of over-blocking
- Establishment of objection procedures
- Introduction of periodic review mechanisms
Direction of Future Countermeasures
Adoption of Phased Approach
- Starting with voluntary efforts by businesses
- Consideration of institutional responses based on effectiveness verification
- Building flexible frameworks responsive to technological innovation
- System design based on international trends
Comprehensive Countermeasure Package
- Promotion of both access prevention and enforcement strengthening
- Education and awareness activities from youth protection perspective
- Integrated efforts with gambling addiction countermeasures
- Strengthening cooperation among relevant ministries and agencies
The article concludes that while access prevention to online casinos is an urgent issue, careful system design that does not compromise the free internet usage environment is necessary, requiring comprehensive countermeasures combining technology, legal systems, and awareness.