Updated October 5, 2026 · By the Casino Online Japan editorial team · This page contains affiliate links: we may earn a commission when you sign up through them, which never affects our scores (how we rate).
Is there a casino in Japan? Not yet. In October 2026 Japan has no licensed casino open to the public. The first one — the Osaka integrated resort (IR), run by MGM Osaka with MGM Resorts and ORIX as core shareholders — is under construction on Yumeshima island and targets an opening in autumn 2030. Until then, visitors and residents play at the public races, the lotteries, pachinko halls and “amusement casinos” where chips have no cash value — or at online casinos licensed abroad that accept players in Japan.
This guide covers all of it: the Osaka casino in figures, the entry rules for tourists and for residents (including the ¥6,000 fee), where you can legally gamble in Japan today, the best amusement casinos in Tokyo, the nearest real casinos for a weekend trip, traditional Japanese gambling games, and the online option. Every fact links to an official source, checked on October 5, 2026.
Quick answer (October 2026)
- Land casinos open in Japan today: none. Casino gaming is only allowed inside a government-approved IR, and none has opened yet.
- First casino: MGM Osaka on Yumeshima, Osaka — plan approved on April 14, 2023; groundbreaking April 24, 2025; target opening autumn 2030.
- Entry rules: age 20+. Foreign tourists enter free; Japanese nationals and residents of Japan pay ¥6,000 per 24 hours and can enter at most 3 times in 7 days and 10 times in 28 days.
- Legal gambling today: horse, boat, bicycle (keirin) and motorcycle racing, the takarakuji lottery, toto sports lottery, and pachinko.
- Casino games in Tokyo: amusement casinos such as Casino Stadium Tokyo (Shinjuku) and the BLOW casino bars — real tables, but no cash prizes.
- Real casino money today: online casinos licensed abroad (Curaçao, Anjouan, Malta…) — our ranking is on the Casino Online Japan home page.
Our top online casino picks for players in Japan
| # | Casino | Best for | Offer via our link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vera&John | Best overall, full English site | 50 free spins on sign-up (20x) + up to $1,000 + 150 FS |
| 2 | Konibet | Low wagering, 24/7 support | $20 no deposit (code Konibetnew, 5x) |
| 3 | CasiTabi (Kajitabi) | RPG-style casino + sportsbook | Up to $500 + 250 FS, or $100 sports free bet |
| 4 | Stake | Crypto, rakeback, sportsbook | Rakeback from day one with a referral code |
| 5 | Mystino | Yen no-deposit bonus | ¥2,000 free (¥1,000 casino + ¥1,000 free bet) |
Ranking and offers checked October 2–5, 2026 through our links from a Japanese IP. Full top 10 with licences and payments: Online Casino Japan 2026.
Contents
- Are there casinos in Japan right now?
- The Osaka IR: Japan’s first casino resort
- Casino entry rules: tourists vs residents
- More casino resorts coming? The 2027 window
- Where you can legally gamble in Japan today
- Amusement casinos in Tokyo
- Real casinos near Japan for a short trip
- Traditional Japanese gambling games
- Online casinos: the option you can use today
- Land, amusement or online: comparison
- FAQ
Are there casinos in Japan right now?
No. Japanese law treats gambling as a crime under Articles 185–187 of the Penal Code unless a specific law makes an exception. Exceptions exist for the public races, the lotteries and toto, and since 2018 for casinos — but only inside an integrated resort approved by the national government and run by an operator licensed by the Japan Casino Regulatory Commission (JCRC). The JCRC explains that, with that licence, Articles 185 and 186 of the Penal Code “do not apply” to the approved games in the approved casino area (Japan Casino Regulatory Commission). No IR has opened yet, so there is no legal casino where you can play for money in Japan in 2026.
That is why searches like “casino in Tokyo Japan” return poker bars and amusement casinos: they are legal because nothing of value can be won. For the full legal picture — races, lotteries, pachinko and how the rules treat online play — see our guide Is online gambling legal in Japan?.
Casinos in Japan at a glance (2026)
| Type | Status in Japan | Cash prizes? | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| IR casino (Osaka) | Licensed by law; under construction | Yes, from opening (target autumn 2030) | Yumeshima, Osaka |
| Amusement casino / casino bar | Legal entertainment business | No — chips have no cash value | Tokyo, Osaka and most big cities |
| Pachinko & pachislot | Legal amusement business (age 18+) | Prizes, exchanged under the three-shop system | Nationwide |
| Public races, lottery, toto | Legal, run by public bodies | Yes | Tracks, outlets and official apps |
| Illegal back-room casinos | Illegal (Penal Code Art. 186) | — | Hidden back rooms |
| Online casinos | No Japanese licence exists; sites are licensed abroad | Yes (by the foreign operator) | Online |
Sources: Penal Code and IR Implementation Act on e-Gov; Japan Casino Regulatory Commission (checked October 5, 2026).
The Osaka IR: Japan’s first casino resort (MGM Osaka)
The Osaka IR is the only casino project Japan has approved. The Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) approved Osaka’s area development plan on April 14, 2023, and the implementation agreement between Osaka Prefecture and the operator was approved on September 22, 2023 (Japan Tourism Agency (MLIT), Osaka IR timeline). A groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 24, 2025 on the north side of Yumeshima, next to the Expo 2025 site (The Japan News (Yomiuri), April 24, 2025). The City of Osaka lists the opening as “around autumn 2030” (City of Osaka, Osaka IR page).
If you searched for the “MGM Japan casino” or the “Osaka casino”, this is it: the resort will be built and run by MGM Osaka Co., Ltd., whose core shareholders are MGM Resorts Japan and ORIX, with 22 minority shareholders, mostly Kansai companies (City of Osaka, Osaka IR page). In the plan approved in 2023, MGM Resorts Japan and ORIX each held about 43% (Japan Tourism Agency (MLIT), Osaka IR timeline).
Osaka IR key figures
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay | City of Osaka |
| Site area | about 492,000 m² | City of Osaka |
| Total floor area | about 780,000 m² | City of Osaka |
| Initial investment | about ¥1.513 trillion excl. tax (construction about ¥1.195 trillion); the 2023 approved plan said about ¥1.27 trillion | City of Osaka; MLIT |
| Annual visitors (plan) | about 20 million (14 million domestic, 6 million international) | City of Osaka |
| Annual revenue (plan) | about ¥520 billion (gaming about ¥420 billion, non-gaming about ¥100 billion) | City of Osaka |
| Hotels | 3 hotels, about 2,500 rooms in total | City of Osaka |
| Casino floor | gaming area limited to 3% of the IR’s total floor area | City of Osaka; JCRC |
| Jobs at the IR | about 15,000 | City of Osaka |
| Payments to Osaka | about ¥106 billion a year (levy about ¥74 billion + entry fees about ¥32 billion) | City of Osaka |
Sources: City of Osaka, Osaka IR page; Japan Tourism Agency (MLIT), Osaka IR timeline (both checked October 5, 2026).
What will be inside besides the casino
Japan’s IR model is built so that the casino is the smallest part of the building. Under the plan published by the City of Osaka the resort will include:
- An international conference centre whose largest hall seats more than 6,000 people (about 12,000 across all rooms);
- An exhibition hall of about 20,000 m²;
- Three hotels with about 2,500 rooms — an entertainment hotel, a multi-generation aqua-resort hotel and a top-end VIP hotel;
- The Yumeshima Theater, with about 3,500 seats, for shows produced for the resort;
- Kansai Japan House and a Japan Food Pavilion showcasing traditional crafts and Kansai food;
- A tourism centre, bus terminal and ferry terminal to send visitors on to the rest of Japan.
Osaka IR timeline
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| July 2018 | IR Implementation Act enacted |
| January 2020 | Japan Casino Regulatory Commission established |
| October 1, 2021 – April 28, 2022 | First application window for IR plans |
| April 14, 2023 | MLIT approves the Osaka IR plan — the only one approved |
| September 22, 2023 | Implementation agreement approved |
| April 24, 2025 | Groundbreaking ceremony on Yumeshima |
| Autumn 2030 (target) | Opening of MGM Osaka |
Sources: Japan Tourism Agency (MLIT), Osaka IR timeline; Japan Tourism Agency, IR policy page; The Japan News (Yomiuri), April 24, 2025; City of Osaka, Osaka IR page.
Casino entry rules: tourists vs residents
The IR Act treats foreign tourists and people who live in Japan very differently. The test is residence, not passport: the fee and the visit limits apply to “anyone other than a foreigner who has no residence in Japan” — so foreign residents on a work or study visa pay the same ¥6,000 as Japanese citizens (IR Act, Articles 69, 176 and 177; IR Implementation Act (e-Gov)).
| Rule | Foreign tourists (non-residents) | Japanese nationals and residents of Japan |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 20 | 20 |
| Entry fee | None | ¥6,000 per 24 hours (¥3,000 national + ¥3,000 prefectural) |
| Visit limit | None | Max. 3 entries in any 7 days and 10 in any 28 days |
| Self/family exclusion | Operator must offer it | Operator must offer it; My Number Card ID check |
Sources: IR Implementation Act Arts. 69, 176, 177 (IR Implementation Act (e-Gov)); Japan Casino Regulatory Commission (checked October 5, 2026).
Casino in Japan for foreigners: what changes for you
If you are visiting Japan on a tourist visa, the Osaka casino will be free to enter and you can come back as often as you like, as long as you are 20 or older. If you live in Japan — expat, student, permanent resident — you will be treated like a Japanese citizen: ¥6,000 every 24 hours and the 3-in-7 / 10-in-28 cap. The JCRC overview describes the My Number Card check for Japanese patrons; MGM Osaka will publish its own door procedures for visitors closer to opening.
What the casino pays the state
Casino operators pay 15% of monthly gross gaming revenue to the national treasury and another 15% to the host prefecture/city, plus a fixed amount to cover the JCRC’s costs (Japan Casino Regulatory Commission). The City of Osaka expects about ¥106 billion a year from levies and entry fees, split equally between the prefecture and the city, and earmarked for gambling-addiction measures, policing, tourism and welfare.
More casino resorts coming? The 2027 application window
The IR Act allows up to three approved IR areas. Only Osaka has been approved, which leaves two places. The government has fixed a second application window: prefectures and designated cities can file IR plans from May 6 to November 5, 2027 (Japan Tourism Agency, IR policy page). Any new resort would then go through review, approval, licensing and construction — so a second Japanese casino would open well after Osaka.
| Question | Answer (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| How many casino resorts can Japan have? | Up to 3 IR areas under the IR Act |
| How many are approved? | 1 — Osaka (Yumeshima) |
| When can others apply? | May 6 – November 5, 2027 |
| Who applies? | A prefecture or designated city together with a private operator |
| Is a Tokyo casino planned? | No Tokyo plan has been filed or approved |
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, IR policy page (checked October 5, 2026).
Where you can legally gamble in Japan today
Japan is not a gambling-free country — it just channels betting into products run by public bodies. These are open to tourists and residents alike, and most can be played online through the official services.
| Product | Run by | Min. age | Payout rate | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horse racing (JRA) | Japan Racing Association | 20 | 70–80% by bet type | ¥3.52 trillion (2025) |
| Boat racing (kyōtei) | Local governments | 20 | 75% or more | ¥2.67 trillion (FY2025) |
| Keirin (bicycle racing) | Local governments / JKA | 20 | 70% or more | ¥1.55 trillion (FY2025) |
| Auto race (motorcycles) | Local governments / JKA | 20 | 70% or more | — |
| Takarakuji lottery | Prefectures and designated cities | No legal minimum | Max. 50% of sales | — |
| toto / BIG (football, basketball) | Japan Sport Council | 19 | 50% | — |
| Pachinko / pachislot | Private parlours | 18 | Prizes via the three-shop system | — |
Sources: the racing, lottery and sports-lottery acts and official sales data, compiled in our Is online gambling legal in Japan? guide and our Japanese public gambling guide (verified October 4, 2026).
Horse racing (JRA): the closest thing to a casino day out
Central racing runs at ten JRA courses, including Tokyo (Fuchu) and Nakayama near the capital, and Kyoto and Hanshin in Kansai. Race days are big, social days out, and you can bet at the windows or online through the JRA’s own service if you are 20 or older.
Boat racing, keirin and auto race
Boat racing has the highest legal minimum payout (75%) and most of its sales now come through phone and internet betting. Keirin and auto race are run by local governments with promotion by the JKA; each has an official online service (Teleboat, KEIRIN.JP, AUTORACE.JP).
Lotteries and toto
Takarakuji tickets (Jumbo draws, Loto 6, Loto 7 and more) are sold at street booths and online, and prizes are tax-free. toto and BIG let you bet on J.League football and B.League basketball results from age 19 — the only legal sports betting in Japan. For bookmaker-style odds on NPB, J.League and international sport, see our guide to sports betting sites in Japan.
Pachinko and pachislot
Pachinko parlours are the most visible form of gaming in Japan, and tourists can play from age 18. You do not win cash at the machine: you exchange balls for prizes, and separate exchange windows near the parlour buy back special prizes — the “three-shop system”. How the machines work, how much to bring and how to play the online versions: our pachinko guide.
Tips for tourists
- Bring your passport: age checks at tracks, parlours and amusement casinos are common.
- Cash still matters — many parlours and race-day windows are cash-first.
- Smoking rules vary: many pachinko halls have separate smoking rooms.
- Keep it fun: set a budget before you go. Japan’s gambling-addiction helplines are listed on our Is online gambling legal in Japan? page.
Amusement casinos in Tokyo: casino games without cash prizes
An “amusement casino” (アミューズメントカジノ, or “amukaji”) is a bar or lounge with real tables — baccarat, blackjack, roulette, Texas Hold’em — run by trained dealers. You pay an entry fee and buy chips or points, but you cannot cash them out; that is what keeps them legal. Winnings can usually be stored for your next visit or used in rankings and tournaments for prizes such as discount passes. They are the best answer to “casino in Tokyo, Japan” if you want the atmosphere today, and a great place to learn the rules before the Osaka casino opens.
Casino Stadium Tokyo (Shinjuku)
| Address | Shinjuku 3-35-13, SHOWAKAN Bldg. B2F, Tokyo — 2 minutes from Shinjuku Station (East / Southeast exits) |
| Games | Texas Hold’em (ring games and daily tournaments), blackjack, baccarat, roulette |
| Price | First entry ticket ¥3,000 = 10,000 points; ¥4,500 = 20,000; ¥6,000 = 30,000; ¥8,000 = 50,000 |
| Beginners | Free 30-minute rules lesson every day |
| Cash prizes | None — the venue states that it complies with the law and does not run any gambling |
| Payment | Cash, major cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners, UnionPay), Suica/PASMO, Apple Pay |
Source: Casino Stadium Tokyo, official site (checked October 5, 2026). Opened in 2017; moved to its current site next to Shinjuku Station in 2024.
BLOW casino bars (Ikebukuro, Roppongi, Shibuya, Ginza and more)
| Tokyo venues | Ebisu, Roppongi (2), Akasaka, Kabukicho, Ikebukuro, Mita, Hachioji, Shibuya, Ginza |
| Elsewhere | Sapporo (Susukino), Yokohama, Kawasaki, Amagasaki, Okinawa (Kokusai-dori), Sasebo and more |
| Games | Blackjack, roulette, baccarat, Texas Hold’em, Ultimate Poker |
| Price | Entry ¥1,000 with free drinks while you play; chip packs from ¥5,000 for 150 chips |
| Loyalty | 1 mile per ¥1,000 spent, exchangeable for chips or a night at a partner hotel abroad |
| Hours (Ikebukuro) | Weekdays 18:00–25:00, weekends and holidays 17:00–25:00 |
Source: BLOW casino, official site (checked October 5, 2026).
Amusement casino vs a real casino
| Amusement casino (Tokyo today) | IR casino (Osaka, 2030) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash out winnings | No | Yes |
| Entry cost | ¥1,000–¥3,000 typical | Free for tourists; ¥6,000 for residents |
| Minimum age | Set by each venue | 20 |
| Games | Poker, blackjack, baccarat, roulette | Full casino range plus slots |
| Regulator | Entertainment business rules | Japan Casino Regulatory Commission |
Real casinos near Japan for a short trip
If you want to play real-money table games on a land casino floor before 2030, the nearest options are a short flight away. Each country has its own rules for foreigners — here are the basics, from official sources.
| Destination | Main casinos | Who can enter | Min. age | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul / Incheon (South Korea) | Paradise Casino Walkerhill, Paradise City | Foreign passport holders only | — | Paradise Casino |
| Busan and Jeju (South Korea) | Paradise Casino Busan, Paradise Casino Jeju | Foreigners only | — | Paradise Casino |
| Macau | Cotai Strip and peninsula resorts | Everyone 21+ | 21 | DICJ, Law 10/2012 |
| Singapore | Marina Bay Sands, Resorts World Sentosa | Foreigners free with passport; citizens/PRs pay S$150 a day | 21 | Marina Bay Sands |
| Manila (Philippines) | Okada Manila and other integrated resorts | Regulated by PAGCOR | — | PAGCOR |
Sources: Paradise Casino, official site; DICJ, Law No. 10/2012, Article 2; Marina Bay Sands, casino entry levy and entry rules; PAGCOR; Okada Manila (all checked October 5, 2026). “—” = not stated on the source we checked.
South Korea: Seoul, Incheon, Busan, Jeju
Korea is the closest real-casino destination from Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka, and its casinos are built for foreign visitors. Paradise describes Walkerhill as “Seoul’s No. 1 foreigners-only casino”, with 86 baccarat and 8 blackjack tables, and Paradise City near Incheon Airport as Korea’s largest foreigners-only casino, with 131 baccarat tables and 476 slots and electronic games (Paradise Casino, official site). Bring your passport.
Macau
Macau is the world’s best-known casino city and is open to all nationalities. Law No. 10/2012 bars anyone under 21 from entering a casino (DICJ, Law No. 10/2012, Article 2). The gaming regulator is the DICJ (Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau).
Singapore
Singapore’s two integrated resorts are free for foreign visitors: you use the “Foreigners” lane and show your passport. Singapore citizens and permanent residents pay an entry levy of S$150 a day or S$3,000 a year, and nobody under 21 may enter (Marina Bay Sands, casino entry levy and entry rules). Marina Bay Sands has about 600 tables and 3,000 machines over four floors — the model Japan studied when it designed its own IR rules.
Manila
Manila’s integrated resorts, including Okada Manila (Okada Manila), are regulated by PAGCOR, the Philippine state gaming corporation, which also runs its own Casino Filipino branches (PAGCOR).
Traditional Japanese gambling games
“Japanese casino games” usually means one of two things: the traditional games Japan played long before casinos, or the Japan-themed games you now find at online casinos. Here are the classics.
| Game | Equipment | How it works | Where to try it today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chō-han | Two dice and a cup | Bet whether the total of two dice is even (chō) or odd (han) | Films and festivals; online in dice games such as Sic Bo |
| Chinchirorin | Three dice and a bowl | Players roll three dice into a bowl and compare combinations | Home games among friends |
| Hanafuda / koi-koi | 48 flower cards | Match cards by month to build scoring sets (yaku) | Card sets in any toy shop; apps |
| Mahjong | 136 tiles | Build four sets and a pair before the other three players | Mahjong parlours (for fun), apps |
| Pachinko | Vertical ball machine | Launch steel balls into winning pockets to trigger a jackpot | Parlours nationwide; online pachinko |
Chō-han: the dice game of the Edo period
The dealer shakes two dice in a bamboo cup, slams it face down, and players bet on chō (even) or han (odd). It is the game you see in yakuza films. The even/odd bet survives online as the “Big/Small” and “Odd/Even” bets of Sic Bo at live casinos.
Hanafuda and koi-koi
Hanafuda (“flower cards”) has 48 cards, four for each month of the year. Koi-koi, the most popular two-player game, is about matching months to complete scoring sets, then deciding whether to stop or say “koi-koi” and keep going for more. Nintendo started as a hanafuda maker: in 1889 Fusajiro Yamauchi began manufacturing and selling hanafuda cards in Kyoto (Nintendo, company history).
Mahjong
Riichi mahjong is Japan’s most popular table game, played in parlours, on TV and in professional leagues. Playing for money is gambling under Article 185; playing for fun is not. Full rules (in Japanese): mahjong rules for beginners.
Japanese-style games at online casinos
Online casinos that serve Japan have built whole lobbies around these tastes: pachinko and pachislot-style games, Japanese-dealer baccarat, and Japan-themed slots such as Tempura Princess (the game for InterCasino’s 50 free spins). Vera&John’s English lobby, for example, has a dedicated Pachinko hall next to Slots and Table & live.
Online casinos: the option you can use today
Until the Osaka IR opens, the only way to play real-money roulette, blackjack, baccarat or slots from your sofa in Japan is an online casino. Japanese law has no licensing system for online casinos; the sites Japanese players use are licensed abroad — mainly in Curaçao and Anjouan, some in Malta. A real licence tells you who runs the site and which regulator you can complain to, so it is the first thing we check. How the law applies depends on where you are: check the rules of your country of residence before you play, and play within the laws where you live. Details: Is online gambling legal in Japan?.
These are the casinos we rate highest for players in Japan, with the offers available through our links in October 2026. Most have an English option, and all of them accept players in Japan.
| # | Casino | Licence | Offer via our link | English site? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vera&John | Curaçao (CGA) OGL/2024/175/0182 | 50 FS on sign-up (20x); up to $1,000 + 150 FS | Yes |
| 2 | Konibet | Georgia (Kutaisi FIZ) sub-licence N138/2 | $20 no deposit (5x) | Yes |
| 3 | CasiTabi (Kajitabi) | Anjouan ALSI-202505046-FI2 | Up to $500 + 250 FS, or $100 sports free bet | No (Japanese only) |
| 4 | Stake | Curaçao (CGA) OGL/2024/1451/0918 | Rakeback from day one (referral code) | English T&C |
| 5 | Mystino | Anjouan ALSI-202505010-FI1 | ¥2,000 no deposit | Yes |
| 6 | Yuugado | Curaçao (CGA) OGL/2024/175/0182 | ¥1,500 + ¥1,500 free bet; 150% up to ¥75,000 on 1st deposit | Yes |
| 7 | InterCasino | Curaçao (CGA) OGL/2024/175/0182 | 50 FS on Tempura Princess (30x) | Yes |
Ranking and licence data from our ranking page (checked October 2–4, 2026). Full top 10 with payments: Online Casino Japan 2026.
1. Vera&John — best overall for English speakers
The most complete English-language casino that serves Japan: a Pachinko hall, Japanese live tables, JPY and USD accounts, and a no-deposit start of 50 free spins (worth $0.20 each, on Sweet Bonanza 1000, 20x wagering, 30 days) through our link, followed by a welcome package of up to $1,000 + 150 free spins.
2. Konibet — low wagering
Konibet offers $20 with no deposit (code Konibetnew) and only 5x wagering, plus English and 24/7 support. We do not have a partner link for Konibet, so there is no button here.
3. CasiTabi (Kajitabi) — RPG-style casino and sportsbook
A Japanese-only site with a role-playing theme, original live tables and a sportsbook. New players choose between a casino welcome of up to $500 + 250 free spins and a $100 sports free bet.
4. Stake — crypto and rakeback
The big international crypto casino and sportsbook. Through a referral code, rakeback is unlocked from your first day. Deposits are in crypto (20 coins including BTC, ETH, USDT, XRP and SOL); see our crypto casinos guide.
5. Mystino — yen no-deposit bonus
Mystino gives ¥2,000 free on sign-up (¥1,000 for the casino and a ¥1,000 sports free bet) and runs a yen account. More free offers: no deposit bonus Japan.
6. Yuugado — Japanese-style casino with an English option
Yuugado gives ¥1,500 plus a ¥1,500 free bet on sign-up and a 150% welcome bonus up to ¥75,000 on the first deposit (+ 50 free spins on Sweet Bonanza 1000). Its English site has both a casino and a sportsbook; for live dealer tables see our live casino guide.
7. InterCasino — 50 free spins on a Japanese slot
InterCasino gives 50 free spins worth $0.20 each on Tempura Princess, a Japan-themed slot, with 30x wagering on winnings.
Japanese live casino tables
If what you miss is the real table, live casino is the closest thing to the Osaka experience: real dealers streamed in HD, including Japanese-speaking baccarat tables.
Land casino, amusement casino or online casino: which fits you?
| Osaka IR (from 2030) | Tokyo amusement casino | Online casino (licensed abroad) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Available now? | No — target autumn 2030 | Yes | Yes |
| Real-money winnings | Yes | No | Yes |
| Cost to enter | Free for tourists; ¥6,000 for residents | ¥1,000–¥3,000 | Free; welcome bonuses |
| Visit limits | Residents: 3 in 7 days / 10 in 28 | None | Self-set deposit and time limits |
| Games | Tables and slots | Poker, blackjack, baccarat, roulette | Thousands of slots, live tables, pachinko-style games |
| Regulator | Japan Casino Regulatory Commission | Entertainment business rules | Foreign regulator (Curaçao, Anjouan, Malta…) |
| Best for | Tourists and a special night out | Learning the rules, social poker | Playing from home today |
Our view: if you are visiting Japan, the amusement casinos and a day at the races give you the atmosphere; if you live here and want to play for real money, a licensed online casino from our ranking is the practical choice until Osaka opens — check the licence, set a budget, and play within the laws where you live.
Casinos in Japan: FAQ
Q. Is there a casino in Japan?
A. Not yet. No licensed casino is open in Japan in 2026. The first one, MGM Osaka on Yumeshima island, is under construction and targets an opening in autumn 2030.
Q. Does Japan have legal casinos?
A. Japan has a law allowing casinos — the 2018 IR Implementation Act — but only inside up to three government-approved integrated resorts. Only Osaka has been approved, and it has not opened yet.
Q. When will the Osaka casino open?
A. The City of Osaka lists the opening as around autumn 2030. The plan was approved on April 14, 2023 and construction started with a groundbreaking ceremony on April 24, 2025.
Q. Who is building the Osaka casino?
A. MGM Osaka Co., Ltd., whose core shareholders are MGM Resorts Japan and ORIX, with 22 minority shareholders, mostly Kansai companies.
Q. Can foreigners go to a casino in Japan?
A. Yes, once the Osaka IR opens. Foreign tourists aged 20 or over will enter free and with no visit limit. Foreign residents of Japan pay the ¥6,000 fee and face the same limits as Japanese citizens.
Q. How much is the Japan casino entry fee?
A. ¥6,000 per 24 hours (¥3,000 national + ¥3,000 prefectural) for Japanese nationals and residents of Japan. Non-resident foreign visitors pay nothing.
Q. How many times can residents visit a Japanese casino?
A. At most 3 times in any 7 consecutive days and 10 times in any 28 consecutive days, checked with the My Number Card.
Q. What is the casino age in Japan?
A. 20. The age of majority dropped to 18 in 2022, but the IR Act keeps casino entry at 20.
Q. Is there a casino in Tokyo?
A. There is no real-money casino in Tokyo. There are many amusement casinos — such as Casino Stadium Tokyo in Shinjuku and the BLOW casino bars — where you play real table games but cannot cash out chips.
Q. Will there be more casinos in Japan?
A. Possibly. The IR Act allows up to three IR areas, and prefectures and designated cities can apply from May 6 to November 5, 2027. Any new resort would open years after Osaka.
Q. What are traditional Japanese gambling games?
A. Chō-han (betting on odd or even with two dice), chinchirorin (three dice in a bowl), hanafuda card games such as koi-koi, mahjong, and pachinko.
Q. Where is the nearest real casino to Japan?
A. South Korea: Seoul, Incheon, Busan and Jeju have foreigners-only casinos such as Paradise Casino Walkerhill. Macau, Singapore and Manila are also short flights away.
Q. Can I play at online casinos from Japan?
A. There is no Japanese online casino licence; the sites used by players in Japan are licensed abroad (Curaçao, Anjouan, Malta). How the law applies depends on where you are, so check the rules where you live. Our licensed picks are on the Casino Online Japan home page.
Main sources (all checked October 5, 2026): IR Implementation Act (e-Gov); Japan Casino Regulatory Commission; City of Osaka, Osaka IR page; Japan Tourism Agency (MLIT), Osaka IR timeline; Japan Tourism Agency, IR policy page; The Japan News (Yomiuri), April 24, 2025; Casino Stadium Tokyo, official site; BLOW casino, official site; Paradise Casino, official site; DICJ, Law No. 10/2012, Article 2; Marina Bay Sands, casino entry levy and entry rules; PAGCOR; Nintendo, company history.
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