Prosecutors in Japan say they have decided not to indict Rakuten Eagles’ pro baseball star Hideto Asamura and two unnamed team officials for accessing online casino platforms.
Online casinos are banned in Japan, and visiting overseas platforms from Japanese territory is a criminal offence.
Police referred infielder Asamura, aged 35, and the team’s officials to public prosecutors on March 4, according to the Japanese media outlet Sponichi Annex.
The trio were accused of violating gambling law by “using their smartphones to gamble on overseas online casino sites.”
But, on March 18, the Sendai District Public Prosecutor’s Office issued a statement saying it would not indict any of the trio. The office explained that it had “taken a variety of circumstances into consideration.” However, it did not expand on the matter further.
The Eagles, also known as the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, are based in Sendai, in Miyagi Prefecture.
Hideto Asamura: No Charges for Baseball Star
The fresh charges came as an untimely blow for the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPB). The new NPB season begins on Friday, March 27.
Last season’s NPB campaign was overshadowed by a string of gambling-related controversies, as police cracked down on online casino betting.
At least a dozen players and staff members from many of the NPB’s biggest teams faced reprimands and fines from police and minor courts.
The NPB had hoped to leave the matter in the past ahead of the 2026 season. The organization held special gambling awareness sessions for rookie players earlier this year. It also provided training sessions for new umpires.
Many players have responded to charges by claiming they were unaware that gambling on online casino platforms was illegal in Japan.
Franchises have claimed they now hold their own online casino-themed educational sessions. They say these will ensure all staff and players are aware of the criminal nature of online gambling.
Team Issues Apology
A Rakuten Eagles official offered an apology for the matter, stating, “We are deeply sorry for causing [the public] so much worry and inconvenience.”
The official said the franchise would “strongly reiterate to those involved that they should be more aware of their responsibilities as members of the baseball world.”
“As a team, we will strive to further improve our compliance awareness,” said the spokesperson. “We will continue to thoroughly implement measures to prevent a recurrence.”
Japanese baseball is not alone in facing gambling-related controversies ahead of the upcoming season.
In nearby South Korea, fans hit out at three players from the Lotte Giants franchise after they were discovered gambling at a betting den in Taiwan at the time of a preseason training camp.
The authorities have handed all three lengthy suspensions, meaning they will miss most of the 2026 season.
The Korea Baseball Organization season begins on March 28.
The post Prosecutors Drop Illegal Gambling Case Against Japanese Baseball Star Hideto Asamura appeared first on CasinoBeats.
Prosecutors in Japan say they have decided not to indict Rakuten Eagles’ pro baseball star Hideto Asamura and two unnamed team officials for accessing online casino platforms. Online casinos are banned in Japan, and visiting overseas platforms from Japanese territory is a criminal offence. Police referred infielder Asamura, aged 35, and the team’s officials to
The post Prosecutors Drop Illegal Gambling Case Against Japanese Baseball Star Hideto Asamura appeared first on CasinoBeats.