Gaming – Japan | Competition on the rise as municipalities vie for first casino

Competition is on the rise as Japan moves closer to a regulatory framework that will allow one of its cities to host the country’s long-awaited first integrated casino resort.

Back in December, Japan paved way for investment in resorts after its parliament passed a bill to legalize the operation of casinos.

Currently, three sites are reportedly lobbying hard to host the tourism attraction, including Rinku Town in Izumisano, Osaka Prefecture; Wakayama Marina City in Wakayama Prefecture; and the most talked-
about, Yumeshima – an artificial island in Osaka Bay.

Osaka Prefecture was already proposed back in 2012 as a possible casino site.

As cited in The Japan Times, Izumisano municipal official Yoshihiko Matsushita said to panel members at a public hearing in Osaka earlier this month that problems could occur if the host city’s residents do not agree with the establishment of a casino in their city.

Yet the official also recalled that the three competing cities have spent many years talking to residents and conducting symposiums on casino resorts, along with setting up integrated resort bid committees.

Rinku Town in Izumisano is lobbying as hard for consideration, noting that the town is located across the bay from Kansai airport in southern Osaka, ideal for tourists arriving by plane.

Meanwhile, Yumeshima has already begun attracting investors from gaming operators in Macau, including Melco Resorts, which pledged to spend “whatever it takes”; MGM Resorts International; and Las Vegas Sands Corp. which put the price tag on a casino of up to USD10 billion.

Political and business leaders have also touted Yumeshima as the ideal city to host a casino resort.

Efforts are also accelerating for Wakayama Prefecture, a 45-minute drive from Kansai airport, and some 70 minutes from downtown Osaka.

The prefecture believes that it is capable of attracting some six million foreign visitors to Kansai airport, and that it could immediately commence facility construction once awarded a license.

The prefecture also suggested that casino licenses should be awarded with consideration of regional economics.

As the competition continues to heat up, the government is expected to only approve two or three integrated resorts at first. According to the report, the odds currently favor at least one of those being in Kansai.

Late last month, a government panel was appointed to recommend detailed rules and regulations on how licensed casino resorts would be selected, operated, and monitored. The panel presented its report to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.