Asia
Minister Says Japan Has No Plans to Legalise Online Gambling
Hachiro Okonogi, Chairperson of the Liberal Democratic Party’s National Public Safety Commission, has denied suggestions that Japan’s IR legislation could pave the way for legalised online gambling while promising to continue cracking down on any such illegal activity.
The question of online gambling was raised by Hiroyuki Moriyama of the Constitutional Democratic Party, who asked if there had been any change to the regulation of online gambling in Japan given an increase in the use of offshore gaming sites since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response, Okonogi said, “There are provisions on casino acts in the existing IR Development Act, but it does not include online casinos and they are not subject to this regulation. However, when I was asked at the Cabinet Committee last week, I answered that we would continue to take strict action as the police and Chairperson of the National Public Safety Commission.”
Asked if further regulation was necessary, Okonogi added, “The reason online casinos are not subject to the ‘casino acts’ in the IR Development Act is because online casinos are illegal in the first place.
“There is precedent of online casinos being run in Japan, busted and tried in court.” Okonogi emphasised that crackdowns would continue and explained, “Continuing to come down on online casinos is the role of the police and Chairperson of the National Public Safety Commission. The fact is that this does not fall under the jurisdiction of the IR Development Act or the minister in charge of the Casino Management Committee.”
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Asia
BMM Testlabs to Exhibit at SiGMA Asia Summit 2026
BMM Testlabs announced its participation in the SiGMA Asia Summit May 31-June 3 at the SMX Convention Center Manila.
Attendees can visit BMM Testlabs at Stand No. 2619 to learn how the Company supports suppliers, operators and regulators across regulated gaming markets worldwide through its comprehensive compliance and product certification services.
BMM will highlight its ability to test and certify gaming products to every regulator’s standard, anywhere in the world.
In the Philippines, BMM Testlabs is licensed to provide testing and certification services for slot machines, table games, electronic table games, iGaming, bingo, retail and online sports betting, poker and mobile gaming solutions.
BMM Testlabs’ Vice President, Business Development – Asia Jeffrey Fong said: “SiGMA Asia Summit continues to be an important event for the gaming industry across the Asia-Pacific region. We are proud to support suppliers, operators, and regulators with trusted compliance expertise that helps bring products to market efficiently and responsibly. Our global experience, combined with our strong regional knowledge, allows us to help our customers grow confidently in regulated gaming markets throughout Asia and beyond.”
BMM Testlabs continues to expand its support of regulated gaming markets worldwide through its global network of laboratories and technical experts, helping customers achieve faster market access while maintaining the highest standards of quality, security and regulatory compliance.
The post BMM Testlabs to Exhibit at SiGMA Asia Summit 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Asia
BetConstruct AI Showcases AI-Powered Solutions at G2E Asia 2026
BetConstruct AI participates in G2E Asia 2026 (May 12–14, The Venetian Macao, Stands A1023 & A1029) — Asia’s most significant gathering for operators, innovators and industry decision-makers, and this year, the event puts AI and other emerging innovations at its centre.
The spotlight at the stands will be on the Best Sportsbook for the World Cup 2026: Special Bets, Powerfull and Bet on League form a ready-to-deploy tournament package that lets operators capture the full commercial weight of the world’s biggest sporting event — zero development cycles, zero platform risk.
For the World Cup activation – all at zero cost. New partners unlock a 50% platform setup discount applied immediately, plus 100% Core Suite Access — meaning the Sportsbook and the rest of BetConstruct AI’s offerings are completely free for the first 3 months (50% off for 4-12 months). Third-party tools come at 51% off for 3 months.
Layered on top at this event, the AI Suite — CRM AI, Umbrella AI, AI Game Recommendation System and Betting Mate — handles everything from churn prediction and risk management to real-time personalisation and conversational betting. Beyond all of this, we’re bringing the full picture: The Sportsbook Platform offers over 140,000 pre-match events and 12,000+ monthly esports live events, while the Casino Platform integrates 350+ providers via a unified aggregation API.
The Affiliate Ecosystem, with its Affigates sub-brand, offers 7000+ vetted affiliates and AI-based scoring, completing the acquisition side of the picture.
The post BetConstruct AI Showcases AI-Powered Solutions at G2E Asia 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Asia
Kazakhstan Orders Telecom Providers to Block Illegal Online Casino Payments via Mobile Balances
Kazakhstan authorities have moved to tighten controls on illegal online gambling payments after uncovering schemes that use mobile phone balances to fund unlicensed casino activity.
The Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA) issued instructions to telecom providers to strengthen monitoring and introduce systems to detect and block suspicious transactions.
According to the FMA, mobile operators including Tele2, Altel, Beeline, Kcell and Activ were called to a working meeting where regulators demonstrated how illicit payment flows to online casinos are being processed.
To verify the issue, the FMA carried out test purchases across 10 illegal online casino websites using services from all major mobile operators. The tests confirmed that payments via mobile balances were possible.
The agency stated that the goal is to cut off financial access to illegal operators and reduce public exposure to unregulated platforms. Further enforcement actions are expected as monitoring continues.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan is preparing to significantly tighten rules on the promotion of illegal gambling. A group of senators is advancing an initiative to introduce criminal penalties for influencers who advertise online casinos and organise “giveaways.”
In related developments, a Kazakhstani influencer has recently been arrested in Vietnam on suspicion of running an illegal gambling operation.
Furthermore, the country is also restricting citizens’ access to legal gambling options, indicating a broader anti-gambling stance towards locals while still pursuing gambling tourism.
Lawmakers introduced rules restricting access to casinos, slot machine halls and betting venues in several regions to foreign nationals only. The changes will take effect on 17 May.
In March, President Tokayev signed a law establishing four new gambling zones for foreigners in the country.
The post Kazakhstan Orders Telecom Providers to Block Illegal Online Casino Payments via Mobile Balances appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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