the Basic Law for Countermeasures against Addiction such as Gambling which was enacted in 2018 to also look at existing gambling sectors such as horse racing and pachinko, which haven’t been addressed fully until now. It stipulated that the government formulate a plan for gambling addiction countermeasures.
Under the act, an IR is referred to as Specified Complex Tourist Facilities, and initially three IR licences will be issued which must include:
l
A conference hall/convention facility, exhibition site, tourism promotion facility, tourist services and accommodation facilities.
l
Gaming areas will be limited to three per cent or less of total resort space.
l
30 per cent casino levy will be paid on the GGR which is divided 50:50 between central and local governments.
l
Entry is free to international visitors but will cost ¥6,000 for Japanese visitors ($50) who are also limited to three weekly visits and 10 visits per month.
l
Japanese nationals are only allowed to use cash for gambling transactions.
l Visitors must be aged 20 years or over.
Although the number of IRs is limited to three at present after five years the government will
Meanwhile a Japanese Casino Regulatory Commission was established in January 2020 and is affiliated to the Cabinet Office. As an independent authority it is able to issue or cancel licences for casinos in Japan.
Te national government released the Basic Policy for the development of IRs on December 18 after a revision to update and include vital additional health and safety measures needed if future pandemics were to occur, plus protective measures for gambling addiction issues.
Tere is now also an extension to the bidding period for local government by nine months which will now start in October 2021 and be open until the end of April 2022, whilst the aim of opening the first IRs by an original 2025 estimated opening date has been pushed back to the second half of the decade because of delays in the timetable for local government applications.
COVID has brought the business and trade industry to a grinding halt in many aspects as travel is still limited and most key deals have been put on the back burner until some semblance of normality returns.
In addition, a scandal involving two advisors at Chinese online sports lottery provider
500.com who were charged with offering bribes to Diet members over the IR projects, has caused some delays.
Tere is now an extension to the bidding period for local government by nine months, which will now start in
October 2021 and be open until the end of April 2022, whilst the aim of opening the first IRs by an original 2025
estimated opening date has been pushed back to the second half of the decade because of delays in the timetable for local government applications.
review the situation and the number of IR Areas will be specifically reviewed after seven years.
Only the casino size is limited whilst the selection process is via a two step process:
1. Local government selects a private company as a potential IR operator and;
2. Te Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) will approve an IR area based on the application submitted by local government together with the selected potential IR operator.
Te MLIT has prepared a Fundamental Policy to set out the framework for the procedures and each local government planning to bid for an IR must release a Basic Implementation Policy outlining their bidding process. Once a potential IR operator is selected by local government an Area Development Plan must be submitted to MLIT for consideration and approval.
Potentially Japan, with its 127 million population, could be a massive market. Casinos could in theory bring an additional US$10bn in industry turnover and the major companies are eager to take advantage of this opening.
Japan consists of 6,852 islands of which the four largest, Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, make up about 97 per cent of Japan’s land area and are referred to as the ‘home islands’. Te country is divided up into 47 prefectures in eight regions.
To date four prefectures have officially announced their interest in competing for one of the three IR casinos available nationwide. Yokohama, the City of Osaka (Osaka Prefecture), Wakayama Prefecture and Sasebo City (Nagasaki Prefecture) have all declared their intention to bid. Tokyo has hinted at its intention to also apply. With 8.6 million residents in Tokyo it is Japan’s most populated city followed by Yokohama with 3.7 million.
WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS P53
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