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Read Full BioThe Japanese police crackdown on celebrities and sports stars who have used online gambling sites continues, with Tokyo police charging pop star Shion Tsurubo, of JO1 and Produce 101 Japan fame, with illegal betting-related offenses.
Tsurubo has admitted he used betting sites to place bets on roulette games as recently as August last year.
However, he claimed to be unaware of the fact that betting on these sites was illegal in Japan, Sankei Shimbum reported.
The star was suspended from activities for over a week at the end of May after his talent agency, Lapone Entertainment, released a statement explaining that Tsurubo had placed bets on illegal sites.
JO1: Shion to Face Prosecution Probe
Lapone released a 5-minute 55-second video on the JO1 website on June 17. In the video, Tsurubo, dressed in a black suit, repeatedly bows deeply to viewers. He also asks for forgiveness for his wrongdoings.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has asked prosecutors to push ahead with an indictment. It said prosecutors should seek “strict punishment” for the pop star.
Tsurubo is accused of accessing an online casino site named K8 from Japanese territory several times between December 2023 and June 2024.
The pop star reportedly topped up his K8 account several times and deposited a total of $104,000 on the site.
He racked up losses of around $48,591, police claim. But the star claimed that he was unaware that betting on overseas sites was illegal in Japan until August 2024, when he stopped using the site.
Many other Japanese stars accused of betting on foreign sites have made similar claims. Some have said they were aware that Japanese firms are not allowed to offer betting services, but thought they were allowed to place bets on overseas platforms.
CasinoBeats has seen evidence that search engine users with Japanese IP addresses can freely access numerous Japanese-language websites that offer casino-style betting games.
Japanese police investigators believe that the vast majority of these sites operate from addresses in the Caribbean.
Gambling Sites Are Easy to Access, Says Star
Tsurubo admitted that he “became obsessed with online gambling for a while because [sites are] so easy to access with a smartphone.”
The star, aged 24, shot to fame in 2019 when he appeared as a contestant on the music-themed reality competition TV show Produce 101 Japan.
He finished fifth in the overall rankings. The top 11 contestants went on to join the group that eventually debuted as JO1 in March 2020.
The group embarked on its first world tour last year, performing concerts in Asia and North America.
Tougher Punishments Incoming
Earlier this month, the Japanese parliament approved tougher regulatory measures for illegal online casino operators, promoters, and patrons.
Tsurubo’s arrest comes days after the leading Japanese TV presenter Kenta Yamamoto admitted using online casinos.
His employer, Fuji TV, is reportedly considering investigating “all of its employees.” The broadcaster allegedly wants to determine if any more of its staff members have used online casinos.
