Japanese police have arrested a 38-year-old man for allegedly gambling as much as 28 billion yen ($194.4 million) through online casinos.
According to reports from The Asahi Shimbun, Makoto Chombayashi has been accused of wagering 90 million yen ($625,500), predominantly on baccarat with crypto-first online casino Stake between August 2022 and April 2025.
Investigators suggest that Chombayashi may have lost 40 million yen ($277,720) in the period under investigation.
The suspect admitted to the allegations, saying: “News reports said there were hundreds of thousands of players in Japan, so I thought I was only the tip of the iceberg.”
A recent report from the country’s Council for Sports Ecosystem Promotion suggests that Japanese residents spend $44.2 billion on overseas-based illegal betting sites each year.
In addition, Tokyo announced plans in March to adapt its plans in an attempt to curb growing gambling addiction in the country.
Local news outlets suggested that the Japan National Police Agency estimates that 3.7 million Japanese people have visited illicit online casinos, placing wagers of over 1.2 trillion yen ($8.2 million).
The data corroborates Chombayashi’s belief, although local reports outline that this could be the most significant amount attributed to an individual in the country.
The National Police Agency reported that it had made 279 arrests for online casino-related gambling in 2024, up 160% from 2023’s number.
The numbers outlined by the Police Agency emerged from a nationwide survey of 27,145 people, and 40% of survey respondents “did not realize gambling was illegal.”
Investigators believe Chombayashi also acted as an affiliate for Stake.. He posted numerous images of gambling wins on the social media platform X, under the alias “Meikyo Shisui,” which means “clear and serene mind” in Chinese philosophy.
Investigators believe that the suspect may have referred over 100 players to the online casino, earning 7 million yen ($48,602) in commission.
Chombayashi has claimed he was motivated by a desire for ‘recognition’ and that praise for his jackpot wins ‘boosted his self-worth.’
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