Three Chinese nationals were arrested for operating a poker gambling den in Tokyo, police said, suspecting they made more than 60 million yen (US$413,000) in less than a year.
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Wang Yi, a 42-year-old resident of Tokyo’s Kita ward, and two others were arrested on Friday for allegedly running the poker operation in a Tokyo condominium and collecting fees from patrons, the Metropolitan Police Department said.
While one of the suspects admitted to the charge, the others told investigators they were only playing a poker game with friends, police said.
Police also arrested nine patrons at the flat located in Toshima ward, alleging they had engaged in illegal gambling. They suspect the three Chinese nationals received 5 per cent of winnings as a fee and hosted around a dozen players per day.
While gambling is technically illegal in Japan, the government does permit a limited amount of betting on strictly controlled events, such as horse racing, boat and bicycle races and the lottery, with the profits being returned directly to the state.
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In April, local media reported that six comedians affiliated with Osaka-based talent agency Yoshimoto Kogyo had been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of gambling and were facing indictment. The six men have all admitted the charges, with one of them saying he gambled more than 50 million yen.