Possible B industry could be hampered by limits
As Japanese officials hammer out legislation for the country’s pending legal casino industry, local officials including the Osaka Governor Ichiro Matsui say limits on locals gaming could have a dampening effect on the industry, which is expected to generate some $25 billion per year in revenues.
Local media report that a new proposal to monitor and limit resident visits to casinos and require them to use “MyNumber” identity cards are overly restrictive.
“MyNumber cards are not yet in common use,” complained Matsui in a press conference reported by Asia Gaming Brief. “If everyone possessed these cards, I’d say it’s fine. Isn’t it strange to require something for entry that is not yet common?” Only 9 percent of Japan residents currently have MyNumber cards, which are “deeply unpopular,” reported AGB.
Osaka is a chief contender for one of the two to three integrated resort licenses expected to be awarded by the government.
Matsui said there’s a “double standard” about problem gambling in Japan. In 2015, players wagered 23.3 trillion yuan on pachinko and slot machines—approximately 4 percent of Japan’s gross domestic product.
Otherwise, he’s enthusiastic about the coming industry, and said he hopes to have the integrated resort on Yumeshima Island in Osaka open its doors by 2023 or 2024. He added that he does not support a potential rival bid by Izumisano City in the prefecture. Incidentally, Matsui recently met with Las Vegas Sands Corp. President Rob Goldstein, who expressed his company’s interest in developing the resort. That’s meaningful; Morningstar analyst Chelsey Tam wrote earlier this month that Sheldon Adelson’s Sands Corp. is “best positioned” to win the Osaka IR bid.
Others are also lining up to make a play for an integrated resort. The Asia Gaming Brief reports that thecentral Japanese city of Tokoname in Aichi Prefecture, site of the Chubu Centrair International Airport, is also looking to bid on an IR license.
Tokoname City Council Chairman Kazutoshi Kawahara expressed concerns similar to that of Matsui, saying, “While an IR can be expected to contribute to the promotion of tourism, measures against gambling addiction are also necessary.”
