It was the 19th. The atmosphere in Japanese professional baseball was tense. This was due to a 'exclusive report' from a media outlet.

The news was reported from the Saitama Police Station. It stated that four players from the Seibu Lions and one team staff member were sent to prosecutors on charges related to an online casino. This means that judicial proceedings concerning the illegal gambling allegations against active professional baseball players have begun.

Afterward, many media outlets reported on this. It also became a hot topic on social media. In some ways, this is to be expected. The league could potentially be shaken to its core. This is a collective gambling scandal.

Yesterday, five days later (the 24th), a shareholders' meeting was held for Seibu Holdings, the parent company of the group. This issue was also raised here. One shareholder made an objection, and Tsuyoshi Okumura, the team president, had to come forward to clarify.

Of course, this is not an incident that suddenly popped up. It had been stirring since February. Reports indicated that multiple players and team officials affiliated with the NPB were connected to online casinos.

The five from Seibu recently revealed are part of that group. However, there is a difference. At that time, their identities were not disclosed. Now, the identities of four players have been clarified: Shuta Donosaki (32, infielder), Sena Tsuge (28, catcher), Ryosuke Godama (26, infielder), and Shinya Hasegawa (23, outfielder).

The issue starts here. The identities are out. The team does not deny this. However....

In reality, the disciplinary measures are lukewarm. It seems they intend to settle with a slight fine.

On the same day when the police report came out (the 19th), the players in question participated in the game without any issues. The same occurred the next day and the day after. Discussions of gambling were quickly swept aside. They simply played hard and ran. (Three out of the four are key starters in the first team. Only catcher Sena Tsuge remains in the second team.)

From the team's attitude, the intention is clear. Rather than punishment, they intend to provide protection. There is a strong sense of that will. The announced clarification can be summarized like this.

"(They say) they were unaware of the illegality. (After it became an issue) they realized their mistake and are deeply reflecting. They accepted the fines imposed by the team without objection. They will keep an eye on the judicial authorities' decisions and, based on the results, take appropriate actions moving forward."

Such a response is not new. It has been consistent since the beginning of the incident.

The online casino issue started in February. An Orix Buffaloes pitcher was the first to be caught. Initially, their name was disclosed. It was Daisuke Yamaoka (30). He was a star player who also joined the national team during the Premier tournament.

Subsequently, breaking news followed. It was said that Yamaoka was not alone. Rumors circulated that multiple individuals were involved. In a rush, the NPB and various teams hurriedly decided to accept voluntary reports. As a result, it was revealed that 16 people were connected.

Normally, such a situation would turn the league upside down. However, the response was unexpected. What they proposed as sanctions were merely lukewarm "measures." It is evident they intend to conclude with little more than light punishment.

The announcement only mentioned the number 16. It did not specify who was involved or how many from each team.... It was truly a blackout list.

Naturally, any punishment like suspension cannot even be considered. This is likely because the identities would be revealed. Instead, only fines were mentioned. Again, there were no specifics. It just vaguely stated "up to 3 million yen (about 28 million won)." The total aggregates imposed on the 16 individuals were announced as 10.2 million yen (about 96 million won).

Later, some names were disclosed through media reports. In May, two players from the Yomiuri Giants (outfielder Rui Okoe and infielder Daiki Masuda) were identified. At that time, the clarification was similar.

"I did not know it was illegal. I deeply regret it. I feel sorry..."

The NPB carries a shameful history. It was the Black Mist incident that occurred in 1969, involving match-fixing scandals linked to organized crime.

Of course, it is difficult to handle this incident in the same context. The nature of the crime is distinctly different from match-fixing.

However, online casinos have recently emerged as a serious social issue in Japan. It has been revealed that influential figures or celebrities are involved, drawing public criticism. There are ongoing criticisms that only the baseball world is responding passively.

The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan faced a similar situation last August. One active player was arrested at the scene on gambling charges and was subsequently expelled from his team. Another three had photos of them playing poker leaked. They received suspensions of 5 to 7 games in addition to fines.

There is nothing more to say. It was during the 2015 KBO's away gambling incident. The Samsung Lions excluded the three involved from the Korean Series roster. Ultimately, they lost their formidable strength from being number one in the regular season. They had to stop at 'four consecutive Korean Series titles' after losing to the third-place Doosan Bears.

In addition to the three, there is another person. Seung-hwan Oh, who played for the Hanshin Tigers. After successfully completing two seasons (2014-2015), he was in discussions for re-signing. Hanshin had a clear intent to retain him.

However, suddenly their stance changed. This was due to the unexpected emergence of the incident. This is according to a report from a prominent Japanese media outlet at the time.

"Hanshin's Director General Eichi Goya conducted an investigation regarding Seung-hwan Oh, who was suspected of involvement in illegal gambling in Korea. (Omitted) Director General Goya stated, 'If it is true, it would influence (the re-signing).'

A few days later, Hanshin removed Seung-hwan Oh from the reserve player list. Eventually, the final boss had to leave for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Thus, NPB, which emphasized strictness and cleanliness, has now shown a lenient and caring side. It is nothing short of irony.

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