Osaka Prefectural Police on Sunday arrested the manager of an illegal baccarat casino, 29 employees and a customer. The casino, run by Hiroki Morichika, 41, was operating out of a tenant building in Osaka’s Minami area, Kyodo News reported.
According to police reports, the casino was open 24 hours a day on the third and fourth floors of the building. Police found the casino inside a hidden room with double-door entrance that was kept locked at all times. When customers entered the room, their faces were checked using a security camera to unlock the door. The minimum bet was set at 30,000 yen.
Police arrested a male customer on suspicion of illegal gambling on Saturday, prompting Sunday’s raid. Twenty-nine customers and employees were arrested , but some customers managed to escape by fleeing via the hidden staircase on the second floor.
© Japan Today
10 Comments
Login to comment
Paul
Isn't Pachinko gambling?
GillislowTier
Straight out of a cheesy drama. Then again fiction mirrors reality
Keepyer Internetpoints
Just because a bank account has your name on it doesn't mean its your money to spend as you please.
Apparently, its the government's money and you will only spend it on what they approved.
kurisupisu
Osaka police are the best!
So refreshing that Japanese society is being protected and purged of these diabolical casinos where unvirtuous gambling is being conducted!
Cant these immoral people wait to be told?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/04/15/japan-casino-osaka-resort-approved/
John
Why would customers be arrested? Did they know that it was illegal?
shogun36
That's what happens when you don't grease the palms of the cops like other "illegal" operations.
Did they not get the memo?
Cops don't do their actual job, unless their "cut" is in question.
WA4TKG
They paid extra to know where that other door was
Quo Primum
Never, ever deny a government its taxes.
Hell to pay if you do.
diagonalslip
they're not getting their cut (taxes) so it's illegal..... but not to worry, there's a legal casino on the way.... more revenue to add to that of boatraces and keirin and tobacco and alcohol sales.....
sakurasuki
Nagoya? Last month there was an arrest in Tokyo, Aichi and Fukuoka. Involving online gambling.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/09/27/japan/crime-legal/online-casino-settlement-arrests/
So gambling demand is high in Japan? That's why JGovt want to develop actual legal Casino.
https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/japan-approves-osaka-site-countrys-first-casino-2023-04-14/