Nine male police officers in Hyogo Prefecture have been referred to public prosecutors on suspicion of illegal gambling through online casino platforms, according to reports from The Japan Times. The Hyogo Prefectural Police announced on Monday that administrative penalties, including pay reductions and six-month suspensions, were imposed following findings by the department's inspection office.
Investigators believe all nine officers gambled online outside of work hours. One officer admitted wrongdoing, saying he should have understood that such gambling constitutes a crime before engaging in it.
Six of the officers were deployed at the same police station. Among them, a senior officer in his twenties reportedly accessed an online casino via his smartphone from December last year through June this year. During that period, he allegedly placed more than 3,000 bets and spent approximately JP¥5m.
He told investigators that he learned about the website from another officer in his twenties. The remaining three officers include a senior officer in his thirties assigned to the criminal investigation bureau at police headquarters in Kobe.
Separately, the police department disciplined another nine officers, including an inspector in his forties, for unrelated misconduct such as drinking alcohol or playing pachinko during duty hours. Supervisors overseeing the officers also received disciplinary action.
Koichi Tsuchiyama, Chief of the Inspection Office, said the force views the series of violations as a serious matter. He noted that the department will reinforce ethics training to prevent repeated misconduct.
Japan's Penal Code prohibits gambling except for strictly regulated public races, and gambling through overseas online platforms remains illegal. Authorities continue to urge the public to avoid such sites as participation can lead to criminal penalties.
Online casino gambling is illegal in Japan, even when accessed from personal devices during off-hours
