Osaka officials are planning to ramp up efforts for the implementation of their plan to win one of the casino resort licenses, set to be issued by the Japanese government, and the competition for the host of the 2025 World Expo.
It became known earlier this year that Osaka’s authorities were supportive of the idea for an integrated resort with casino gambling to be built on the Yumeshima artificial island. If the city wins the casino license competition, it would try its best to complete the casino complex shortly before the 2025 World Expo, of which Osaka could be the host in what is considered a best-case scenario by officials.
According to local media, a Diet members coalition has recently been formed to represent Osaka’s interest in becoming part of Japan’s nascent casino industry. They are planning to boost promotion efforts, both internationally and across the country, as from September.
It has also been reported that members of the coalition and Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui will present their plan for the 2025 World Expo in Paris, where the Bureau International des Expositions headquarters are located. The Bureau is an intergovernmental organization that oversees and regulates each individual World Expo and also decides where future editions of the event are to be held. The host of the 2025 World Expo will be announced late in 2018.
It is believed that the preferred locations for Japan’s casino resorts will be announced later this year or early in 2018.
The Japanese government is entering the final stages of the preparation of a draft bill that would lay the foundations for the establishment of the country’s first integrated resorts and would present the regulations under which its nascent casino industry would be regulated.
A preliminary draft plan was released earlier this week and it contained certain recommendations on what would be socially responsible gambling regulation. Under the plan, Japanese casino customers may have their monthly or weekly casino visits limited. There are also proposals that each of the future integrated resorts feature only one casino facility with limited casino floor space.
Japanese nationals will have to present My Number identification cards upon entering one casino or another. They will also have to pay an entry fee.
As for the actual resorts, they will have to make sure that they are not solely reliant on casino revenue and will thus have to feature multiple other facilities, including conference venues, entertainment and cultural facilities, multiple dining and accommodation options, among others. Tax revenue from casino operations will be distributed to help local economies and boost national tourism.
