Japan Is Fourth-Biggest Gambling Nation

Estimated $6.19 billion in revenue from online gambling in 2024

By Gina Hartley
Journo Research

  • Only the USA, UK and Australia are projected to make more in revenue from online gambling in 2024.
  • The research analyzed online gambling revenue data for 61 countries.

New data has revealed that Japan is projected to make $6.19 billion in revenue from online gambling in 2024, which is the fourth-highest revenue out of 61 countries. Using data sourced from Statista, Japanese Online Casino Guide 日本のオンラインカジノ analyzed the projected 2024 online gambling revenue for 61 countries. The countries were then ranked from highest to lowest revenue.

The United States is projected to make the most revenue from online gambling in 2024, with $23.03 billion. This equates to a 20.3% increase in revenue from 2023 to 2024, which is the second-highest increase behind Brazil. Worldwide, the year-over-year revenue change is 12.9%, meaning that US online gambling revenue is growing approximately one and a half times faster than other countries.

The second highest earning country is the United Kingdom, with projected revenue of $13.78 billion in 2024. The UK has the second-highest number of gamblers, with 27.9% of the population having gambled online, even though the UK is projected to have the fourth-lowest increase in revenue this year, with a 7.4% increase expected in 2024. It is also estimated that the UK will have the fourth-lowest rate of revenue increase between 2024 and 2028, with a rate of 3.84%.

Third in the ranking is Australia, with $10.14 billion projected to be made in revenue in 2024. Behind the UK, Australia has the third-highest number of gamblers, with 21.1% of the population having taken part in online gambling. Revenue from online gambling is expected to grow by 10.5% in 2024, and at a rate of 5.12% until 2028.

Japan is in fourth place, with a projected $6.19 billion in revenue from online gambling in 2024. This is a 12.7% increase in revenue from online gambling year-over-year, which is 0.2% under the worldwide average year-over-year revenue change. The revenue is projected to grow at an annual rate of 4.92% between 2024 and 2028, which is under the worldwide average of 6.51%. It is projected that 7.9% of the Japanese population will have gambled online by 2024, and that there will be 11.3 million individuals taking part in online gambling by 2028.

Here are the most popular gambling sites in Japan: 日本のオンラインカジノ

RankCountryRevenue $ (2024)
1United States23,030,000,000
2United Kingdom13,780,000,000
3Australia 10,140,000,000
4Japan6,190,000,000
5Germany5,650,000,000
6Canada4,190,000,000
7France4,120,000,000
8Italy3,210,000,000
9India2,900,000,000
10Spain1,970,000,000

Germany is projected to earn the fifth-highest amount in revenue from online gambling in 2024, with $5.65 billion. 10.4% of the population are projected to have gambled online in 2024, which is the 14th-highest percentage.

In sixth place is Canada, with $4.19 billion revenue in the online gambling market projected to be made in 2024. Canada has the highest number of online gamblers of all the countries, with 48.6% of the population projected to have gambled online by 2024.

Seventh place goes to France, with $4.12 billion estimated to be made in revenue from online gambling by 2024. With a projected revenue growth of 4.7% between 2024 and 2028, France has the 10th-lowest growth rate.

Italy is in eighth place, with $3.21 billion projected online gambling revenue in 2024. Italy is towards the lower end of the ranking for estimated 2024 year-over-year percentage growth in online gambling revenue, with a 10.1% increase.

In the penultimate spot in the ranking is India, with $2.90 billion in revenue projected for 2024. Despite having one of the highest revenues, India has one of the lowest user percentages, with 0.7% of the population estimated to take part in online gambling in 2024.

Concluding the ranking is Spain, with $1.97 billion revenue from online gambling in 2024. Online gambling revenue in Spain is projected to grow by 11% by the end of 2024, and at a rate of 5.28% between 2024 and 2028.

Emiko Matsuda, Editor-in-Chief of 日本のオンラインカジノ, commented on the findings: “The surge in online gambling can be attributed to a variety of factors such as the pandemic, which meant many bettors transitioned from wagering on sports to online gambling, and the data suggests that this shift is permanent.

“Online gambling is prohibited in Japan, yet the data shows that online gambling is pervasive in Japanese society despite the law.

“The Act on the Development of Specified Integrated Resort Districts was passed in 2018, which aims to authorize the establishment of gambling facilities within specified zones across the nation. The first legal casino is due to open in 2029 in Osaka. However, a 2021 study, commissioned by the Osaka Prefectural Government, showed that 2.2% of the total population were grappling with gambling addiction, suggesting that gambling is already a popular pastime for many despite the law.”

Methodology: 

61 countries with available data were included in the study.

The study analyzed the following:

  • Revenue in the Online Gambling market projected to be reached by 2024.
  • Year-over-year percentage change in revenue between 2023 and 2024.
  • User penetration projected for 2024, which shows the number of customers who have made at least one online purchase within the past 12 months.
  • The annual revenue growth rate (2024–2028).

The countries were then ranked from highest to lowest based on the revenue projected to be made in 2024.

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