Police in Gifu Prefecture have arrested two individuals who managed the website “Onkaji Hissho.” The site was presented as a platform with “secret winning strategies” and lured users with promises of earning around $330 per week.
Investigators revealed that, starting in 2021, the accused had been working with an online casino registered under a Curaçao license. Their promotional model followed the BetShare scheme, in which partners are paid commissions from the losses of the players they refer.
In addition to the website, the suspects ran a private “Onkaji Hissho club” chat on Discord. There, they published additional “winning methods” and betting recommendations. Access to the chat cost about $67, and according to police records, around 300 people joined the community. The content focused mainly on strategies for slots and blackjack.
Authorities estimate that, through the site and chat, the operators managed to attract approximately 670 players, who collectively wagered more than $450 million in cryptocurrency.
According to Yomiuri, this marks the first criminal prosecution in Japan against the owners of an SEO website promoting an offshore iGaming operator. Experts suggest that this precedent could pave the way for tighter control over illegal online gambling in Japan, where online betting remains in a legal gray area.
