Japanese Teen Loses $1,700 in Overseas Online Casino Scandal
A 13-year-old boy from Kanagawa Prefecture has been referred to a child guidance centre after repeatedly gambling on an overseas online casino. Over seven months, he accessed the site around 7,000 times, using cryptocurrency bought with his parents' money. Authorities are now stepping up warnings about underage gambling risks.
The boy first became interested in online casinos after seeing news reports about them. He then created an account by lying about his age, as the website failed to verify his details properly.
Initially, he used his own allowance for betting. Later, he took ¥260,000 (about US$1,700) from his parents' account to buy Litecoin through PayPay's payment platform. The entire amount was lost during gambling. Tokyo police have since raised concerns about minors being exposed to online casino sites. While no official figures exist for under-18 gambling cases in 2023 or 2024, authorities are pushing for greater awareness to prevent similar incidents.
The case highlights how easily minors can access online gambling platforms without proper age checks. Police and child welfare services are now urging parents and schools to monitor children's online activities more closely. Efforts to educate young people about the risks of gambling are also being expanded.
