EMERGING MARKETS
Japan in focus : Seizing SEO opportunities
Martin Calvert and Chris Mawson at ICS-digital run the rule over gaming market SEO in Japan and discover that the emerging nature of the country ’ s grey gambling sector brings both opportunities and risks for affiliates
Japanese audiences , while known for their passion for online entertainment , gaming and gambling nevertheless have historically been seen as hard to reach by Western operators and affiliates .
The regulatory landscape , both perceived and real , along with cultural differences and the sheer scale of SEO challenges have all led to some uncertain marketing strategies . However , as Japan ’ s gambling sector undergoes new changes , the draw of the market is on the rise .
It is understanding the nuances of this evolving landscape , particularly in the context of SEO , that has encouraged some operators to make future plans .
This is particularly true for affiliates hit hard by the March 2024 Google updates . Japan could be an emerging market where growth is a real and serious opportunity . Looking at markets where ranking growth is possible due to the size of the opportunity
and audience along with Google being less equipped to ‘ police ’ timeserved SEO methodologies could be key to profit .
Overview of Japan ’ s gambling market
Japan ’ s gambling market does appear lucrative and the prevalence of traditional forms of gambling like pachinko are highly visible , signalling perhaps the future potential of online forms .
In terms of igaming , the trend does seem towards clearer legislation with the possible issuance of gambling licences for integrated resorts and the attractive tax take .
At the present time it ’ s not explicitly legal for Japanese companies to run online casinos or betting sites aside from online betting on horse races , bicycle races , motorcycle races and motorboat races operated and
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