VIE 29 DE MARZO DE 2024 - 10:14hs.
After relevant last week’s meeting

Japan still does not decide number of casinos to authorize

The number of casino resorts to be allowed in Japan post-liberalisation is still to be decided, despite media speculation that the issue might be settled during a meeting held last week between politicians and officials.

A task force of Japan’s largest governing party considering how to steer the Integrated Resorts (IR) Implementation Bill for casinos through the country’s parliament met last week but reached no fresh conclusions on the topic.

Representatives from the national government attending the talks reiterated what had been mentioned when the issue was discussed in the country’s parliament in December 2016 – i.e., two to three resorts initially with up to a further 10 later. But government representatives did indicate some willingness for flexibility via a possible “review process” to assess market demand at some – as yet undefined – later stage.

Representatives of the majority governing party – the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) – offered some alternative ideas at last week’s meeting, but could not reach consensus, according to information gathered by GGRAsia’s correspondent.

According to Japan’s first and already-passed piece of legislation for the establishment of a legal casino industry – the IR Promotion Bill – a maximum number of casino resorts should be stated in the IR Implementation Bill.

From the LDP’s side at the meeting, one strand of opinion was for “at least” four to five gaming resorts in the first phase. A majority of the LDP representatives said the implementation bill should focus on the core objective – promotion of inbound tourism to Japan and economic revitalisation. On that basis, there should be some flexibility regarding total numbers, and resorts should be in regional markets, as well as in metropolitan areas such as Tokyo, the LDP representatives indicated.

Source: GMB / GGR Asia