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.