Following two rounds of unified local elections in Japan, candidates who favor integrated resorts came out on top, according to reports.
In the first round of elections on April 7, the pro-casino Liberal Democratic Party won 51 seats in Hokkaido Prefecture, versus anti-casino candidates, who won a total of 27 seats. According to AGPNippon.com, this is a good indicator that incoming Governor Naomichi Suzuki will endorse an IR bid.
In council election in Tomakomai City in the prefecture on April 21, the outcome was positive for pro-casino candidates, reported GGRAsia, and Sasebo City in Nagasaki Prefecture had a good pro-casino showing in the mayoral election.
On April 8, a the operator of the Huis Ten Bosch amusement park in Sasebo and the governments of Sasebo and Nagasaki Prefecture made a deal that could set aside land at the facility for an integrated resort. In January, an advisory panel to the Hokkaido prefectural government identified Tomakomai City as a preferred site for an IR.
Osaka City and Prefecture have been targeted as the most likely location for an IR, having won the competition to host the 2025 World Expo. The winning candidates there have indicated they would like to see an IR open before the expo, though most analysts think it’s unlikely any resort could open by that time.
Meanwhile, Japanese lawmakers have agreed to a basic framework to combat problem gambling, a chief concern of casino opponents in government and among the public. The plan calls for the use of facial recognition technology to monitor patronage at racetracks and pachinko parlors, and the removal of ATMs from these venues. A limit on internet wagers would also be put in place. All 47 prefectures can adapt the plan to their specific markets, reported the Nikkei Asian Review.
“It is important that we start to roll out these measures to establish a system of comprehensive cooperation and enhanced support for affected families,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.
