MGM Osaka Warns Consumers About Fraudulent Websites Impersonating Casino
Posted on: June 24, 2026, 09:17h.
Last updated on: June 24, 2026, 09:17h.
- MGM Osaka Corporation is warning consumers about fraudulent websites falsely claiming to offer legal online casino gambling in Japan
- The company stresses that online casino gambling remains illegal in Japan and that any website promoting online gaming under the MGM Osaka brand is not affiliated with the resort
- MGM Osaka, a $7.85 billion integrated resort being developed on Yumeshima Island, remains under construction
MGM Osaka Corporation is warning consumers in Japan about fraudulent websites impersonating the forthcoming integrated resort on Yumeshima Island and claiming that online casino gambling is now legal and available throughout the country.
MGM Osaka recently issued a notice advising the public to be aware of fake websites advertising illicit online gambling with the casino’s likeness.
We have confirmed the existence of fake websites that are using the name of MGM Osaka Corporation without authorization. These sites have absolutely no connection to our company and are not operated by or associated with us,” the notice read.
MGM Osaka says its official, and only, website is mgmosaka.co.jp. In Japan, online casino gambling is illegal. It’s also a crime to advertise or promote such operations.
MGM Osaka is a joint venture between Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts International and Japanese financial conglomerate Orix Corporation. Each company holds a 43.5% position, with the remaining shares held by a 22-entity consortium that includes Panasonic, Kansai Electric, and West Japan Railway.
Offshore Casino Marketing
The fraudulent websites impersonating MGM Osaka and illegally advertising to Japanese people on social media and other online channels that iGaming is now available are most likely operating from a foreign location. Known as an offshore online casino, such enterprises obtain interactive casino licenses from small island countries and territories and then cater to customers in large Asian countries like Japan and China.
Gambling on such a website in Japan constitutes a criminal act, though one that’s rarely enforced. However, consumers who do participate in offshore casinos are risking more than just their bet, as the websites and apps are loosely regulated for fair play and data security.
“In the event that you become a victim of fraud or notice any suspicious activity, please contact your nearest police station or relevant authorities immediately,” MGM Osaka told consumers in Japan who might have accidentally been duped into playing online.
Major offshore casino hubs include Curaçao, Malta, Panama, Anjouan, and Costa Rica.
MGM Osaka
MGM Osaka, the only casino so far authorized in Japan, is targeted to open in the fall of 2030. A ¥1.27 trillion (US$7.85 billion) investment, the integrated resort complex will occupy more than 120 acres on the man-made Yumeshima Island.
The plan includes approximately 2,500 hotel rooms, extensive MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) facilities, a retail shopping mall, waterfront attractions, a public park, and various public transportation connecting the island to the wider Kansai region.
As for the casino, the latest disclosure includes more than 6,000 slot machines and almost 500 live dealer table games.
MGM Osaka will open with a monopoly on casino gambling in Japan, but the country is expected to conduct a second bidding round in the coming years. Japan’s 2018 gaming law allows for up to three integrated resort casinos.
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