Tokyo Police Act After 13-Year-Old’s Online Crypto Gambling

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has referred a 13-year-old boy from Kanagawa Prefecture to a child guidance center after uncovering his heavy involvement in online gambling. Reports indicate that between January and July 2025, the minor accessed an overseas casino roughly 7,000 times, highlighting the increasing vulnerability of children to unregulated gambling platforms.

Cryptocurrency Use and Weak Age Verification

Investigations revealed that the boy initially gambled using his personal allowance before escalating to about ¥260,000 (approximately US$1,700) in Litecoin purchased via PayPay. The platform facilitates currency-to-cryptocurrency exchanges without stringent identity checks, allowing the minor to fund his account. He also falsified his age to bypass the casino’s insufficient age verification system. MPD officials criticized the superficial nature of these checks, stressing that such loopholes make it easier for minors to access online casinos.

Consequences and Official Warnings

Authorities confirmed that the boy lost the entire cryptocurrency amount he deposited. MPD highlighted the rising trend of minors participating in online gambling, driven by gaps in regulations and the accessibility of digital payment systems. The cybercrime unit noted that the boy’s interest in online casinos was sparked by media coverage, pointing to the role of advertising and news in influencing youth gambling behaviors.

Broader Pattern of Concern

The incident is part of a wider issue, with 14 other individuals aged 14 to 21 referred to prosecutors for habitual or minor gambling offenses. In addition, a 19-year-old student in Yokohama was arrested for helping minors create cryptocurrency accounts without proper registration, facilitating underage access to gambling services.

Raising Awareness and Protective Measures

Authorities are increasing efforts to educate families, schools and local communities about the risks associated with underage gambling. There is a focus on stricter monitoring of children’s online activities, stronger enforcement of laws and public education initiatives to protect minors.

Despite the legal prohibition of gambling for minors in Japan, loopholes in online platforms and cryptocurrency payment systems remain significant challenges for regulators.

Urgent Need for Enhanced Protections

The Kanagawa case underscores the risks children face in an online gambling environment, especially where age verification is weak and digital payments are difficult to trace. Tokyo Police warn that without robust regulations, tighter platform compliance and greater societal awareness, minors remain at risk of developing problematic gambling habits. Strengthened platform oversight, regulatory enforcement and community education are essential to addressing this growing issue in Japan’s digital age.