The Best Sports Betting Sites in Japan for 2024

Is Sports Betting Legal in Japan?

Sports betting in Japan is legal, but only in specific, limited circumstances. In particular, it is legal to bet on several forms or racing that are known as “public sports”. These include horse racing, motorcycle racing, bicycle racing (keirin) and powerboat racing.

In addition, a 1998 law made it legal to bet on J-League football matches, though again only in limited forms. The toto gives bettors the chance to predict the outcome of 13 football matches. If you get all 13 right, your JPY 100 bet can turn into JPY 100 million or more. A mini toto is also available in which you only have to correctly predict five matches. Toto tickets can be bought at terminals, convenience stores, and online.

While these sites may not be legal under Japanese regulations, these laws are not enforced against individual bettors, and millions of Japanese users have played at these sites without encountering any issues.

How Can I Deposit at Japanese Betting Sites?

Because of the legal status of sports betting in Japan, it may be difficult to use traditional banking methods to move money into your accounts at international betting sites. But that’s not a problem, as there are plenty of safe, secure, and often anonymous methods you can use to move money into these websites.

One of the most popular options is the use of an e-wallet. These services, such as Skrill and NETELLER, allow you to fund an online wallet which you can then use to make deposits, accept withdrawals, or even just store funds for later use. These are flexible options that are especially useful if you plan to bet at multiple sites.

These aren’t the only options. In some cases, you might be able to make deposits through more traditional means, like bank transfers or a credit card. Prepaid options like the paysafecard can also be purchased at retail outlets or online, then used to transfer value into a betting site account.

Do Online Sports Betting Sites Accept JPY?

Many of our recommended betting sites do allow you to deposit and play in Japanese Yen (JPY). This comes with a number of advantages for you. Most obviously, you won’t have to worry about exchange rates when depositing or withdrawing funds. You can also know exactly how much you are betting in JPY each time you place a bet, ensuring you don’t make any mistakes.

That said, it’s also easy to play even if your chosen site doesn’t fully support JPY. If you need to hold a balance and play in another currency such as US dollar, Pound sterling, or Euro, the conversion will happen automatically when you make your deposit, and again when you cash out.

You won’t have to take any additional steps – all the work to exchange currencies happens behind the scenes instantaneously.

Do Japanese Gamblers Have to Pay Taxes on Winnings?

Japanese gambling winnings are taxed, but only for those who earn significant amounts of money from betting. Gambling winnings of up to JPY 500,000 are considered “occasional income” and are exempt from income tax requirements.

Above that amount, half of all winnings are considered taxable income. In addition, professional bettors – or anyone who primarily makes their money from gambling – can deduct their gambling losses to help reduce their tax burden.