Tokyo, Japan – The world of Japanese professional baseball (NPB) was shocked by the revelation that 14 players from 7 teams were involved in using online casinos. This revelation follows a similar scandal involving Orix Buffaloes pitcher Taisuke Yamaoka.
NPB Secretary General, Katsuhiko Nakamura, stated that the 14 players had voluntarily reported their involvement. This case arose after February 2022, so it is not bound by the statute of limitations for gambling offenses.
NPB decided to hand over the punishment to each team. "The first and main thing that each team that is party to the contract must do is that," said Nakamura.
This case started with reports of online casino use by Taisuke Yamaoka on March 17. NPB then asked the entire team to carry out an internal investigation and report the results.
Article 180 of the NPB Baseball Agreement prohibits all forms of gambling, including baseball gambling. The case dealt a major blow to the NPB's image and sparked discussion about the integrity of professional sports in Japan.