FUKUOKA (TR) – Fukuoka Prefectural Police have busted a gambling parlor in Fukuoka City that allowed customers to wager on video-game play, reports the Sankei Shimbun (May 20).
At around 1:35 a.m. on Sunday, officers entered parlor Watanabe, located in Hakata Ward, and found Osamu Takarabe, 30, placing wagers on a slot-type video game.
Officers arrested Takarabe and proprietor Miho Watanabe, 60, on gambling charges. Police also seized six terminals inside the premises.
The parlor ran a system whereby customers place wagers with points that can be purchased for 2.5 yen each, according to police.
Watanabe could accommodate up to eight customers. A portion of its revenue is believed to been used to fund organized crime, police said.
