Japanese Police Officers to Face Charges for Illegal Gambling While on Duty

Japanese prosecutors will investigate allegations that three police officers spent time gambling on the tile-based game mahjong while on duty.

All three suspects, including a 41-year-old male police sergeant, have admitted to the charges, the Japanese newspaper Chunichi Shimbun reported.

Investigators say the trio worked at the Aichi Prefectural Police’s Tsushima Police Station’s community affairs division.

The prefectural force said it had suspended the sergeant for six months, while the other two were sanctioned for one month apiece. The force said the sergeant voluntarily handed in his resignation shortly after receiving the suspension.

The sergeant reportedly told investigators that he had instigated the gambling sessions as a way of “killing time during work hours.”

Akira Kasuga, the prefecture’s Chief Inspector, said: “This is unacceptable behavior for police officers. We sincerely apologize for this incident.”

Gambling on Duty: Mahjong Wagers

Investigators said the trio played mahjong for money at least 50 times between July and October 2024 at police stations and other locations under the jurisdiction of Tsushima Police Station.

The officers placed 500 yen ($3.25) bets on each hand, playing at least 300 hands in total, investigators said.

At first, the trio used “juice cartons and cigarettes” as stakes, but eventually moved on to cash bets.

Police in the same prefecture also said they had reprimanded five other officers, all aged in their 30s and 40s, on gambling-related charges.

The five officers reportedly bought horse and kyotei (boat racing) tickets while on duty.

Japanese Police Officers: Gambling Probes

Investigators say they have also taken action against 11 other senior officers for failing in their supervisory responsibilities.

In total, police in the province said, 19 people have been disciplined for gambling-related activities this year. This is the second-highest since records began in 2001, officers added.

The incident comes hot on the heels of a recent gambling case involving an Okinawa Prefectural Police force lieutenant.

The unnamed officer also quit his post after admitting to placing scores of bets on an unlicensed horse race betting site between April 2024 and April 2025.

The man is set to face indictment, with investigators claiming the man spent around 9.75 million yen (over $62,000) on bets.

“At first, I didn’t realize what I was doing was illegal,” the former police officer said. “I later learned about its [illegality] from the news media and other sources. But I couldn’t stop myself.”