Reiwa Roman’s Kuruma Takahira Apologizes as Online Casino Scandal Unfolds

“I recognized that it was not illegal because of the advertisements.”

The entertainment industry is in turmoil.

It has come to light that more than ten Yoshimoto Kogyo-affiliated talents were voluntarily questioned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police on suspicion of gambling through online casinos.

As first reported by the Mainichi Shimbun, among those involved are M-1 Grand Prix champion Reiwa Roman’s Kuruma Takahira (30) and Toro Salmon’s Kazunobu Kubota (45). On February 15, Takahira admitted to gambling on an online casino and issued an apology on his official YouTube channel. He also disclosed that he had been questioned by authorities, explaining:

“A college acquaintance invited me, and because I saw advertisements for it online, I mistakenly believed it was not illegal.”

Even if an online casino is based in a country where gambling is legal, accessing it from Japan and engaging in betting is a crime.

Yoshimoto Kogyo had previously announced that Daitaku’s Dai Yoshimoto and 9th Street Retro’s Nakamura★Shun, both of whom were also questioned by the police, would suspend their activities until the facts were confirmed.

Across the ocean, Ippei Mizuhara, the former personal interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, also became addicted to online casinos, ultimately embezzling a massive sum from Ohtani’s account, for which he was convicted.

“A surge in young users over the past few years has turned online casinos into a major social issue in Japan. It is said that trillions of yen have flowed overseas due to this phenomenon. These sites are cleverly designed, luring users in with free games before guiding them toward paid betting. They also use globally recognized sports figures in advertisements, making the illegal nature of the activity less apparent. Since people can gamble anytime and anywhere, they often start casually but gradually become deeply addicted,” explained a talk show insider.

 

Entertainers who bring in their friends are highly malicious

As Kuruma mentioned, many people initially perceive online casinos as a gray area. A national newspaper social affairs reporter explains:

“Part of the reason celebrities’ names were reported this time was to raise awareness among people who have little sense of guilt about it. The police often use the notoriety of famous individuals for this purpose.”

There is a possibility that more celebrity names will emerge in the coming days. Within media circles, a partial notorious celebrity list of individuals who habitually play at major online casinos has already been circulating.

“The list includes a lead actor with a reputation for gossip (A), a former idol group member (B), members of a large, popular group favored by women, and a straightforward 40-something actress (C). These individuals are also believed to be under police scrutiny,” says a sports newspaper reporter.

However, merely playing at an online casino is unlikely to result in immediate prosecution. Authorities are more focused on identifying and dismantling the bosses behind these operations rather than going after individual users. The aforementioned national newspaper reporter elaborates:

“Recently, there have been multiple crackdowns on underground recruitment groups, which are linked to Tokuryu (anonymous and fluid criminal groups). It is believed that semi-gang organizations controlling Tokuryu are also behind online casinos. In fact, a person frequently promoting online casinos last year was later named in Tokuryu investigations.”

Furthermore, celebrities who actively collaborated with the casino operators to lure customers into gambling addiction are considered highly malicious and may face legal action.

The scandal has already caused tangible damage. Reiwa Roman’s scheduled program for February 15 has been replaced with another show. The extent of online casino involvement in the entertainment industry remains uncertain, and TV networks are on high alert, fearing last-minute programming changes due to unexpected revelations.