The Hyogo Prefectural Police has sent papers on nine male officers to public prosecutors for alleged illegal gambling at online casinos. All are suspected of engaging in the activity outside work hours, and on Monday, they received penalties including pay cuts and six-month suspensions from duties. One officer admitted, "I should have understood that online casino gambling is a crime before I did it."
The Hyogo Prefectural Police department in western Japan has sent papers on nine male officers to public prosecutors for alleged illegal gambling at online casinos, as reported on December 23, 2025. Investigative sources indicate that all nine engaged in the activity outside their work hours. On Monday, the department imposed penalties on them, including pay cuts and six-month suspensions from duties.
According to the department's inspection office, six of the nine were stationed at the same police station. One of them, a senior officer in his 20s, accessed an online casino website via smartphone from December last year through June this year, placing more than 3,000 bets and spending about ¥5 million in total. He learned about the site from another officer in his 20s.
The other three include a senior officer in his 30s from the criminal investigation bureau at the department's headquarters in Kobe, the prefectural capital.
In a separate but related disciplinary action, the department penalized nine other men, including a 40s inspector stationed at headquarters, with six-month suspensions for drinking alcohol or playing pachinko during work hours. Their superiors also faced punishments.
"Taking seriously the fact that many officers were punished for irregularities, we will strengthen education on work ethics for our staff," said Koichi Tsuchiyama, chief of the inspection office. This incident highlights ongoing challenges in maintaining ethical standards within law enforcement.
