A government-commissioned report has found that about 3.2 million Japanese have suffered from some form of gambling addiction. The report’s findings are published at a time when the country is developing a regulatory framework for the operation of its first casino resorts.
The survey encompassed interviews of people aged 20 and 74 from 300 different locations around Japan. As many as 10,000 Japanese were interviewed and valid responses were received from 4,685 of all involved respondents, Japanese news outlet Japan Times reported.
According to the survey, around 0.8% of Japan’s population have been affected by gambling addiction over the past year. Pachinko, the highly popular mechanical game that is often used by players for gambling purposes, accounted for the greater amount of money spent on gambling activities in Japan. Players have been found to have spent an average of JPY58,000 (or approximately $515) per month.
A total of 3.6% of all interviewed people have responded that they have felt addicted to some form of gambling at some point in their life. As mentioned above, that proportion could roughly apply to 3.2 million Japanese. The country currently has population of around 127 million people (World Bank: 2016).
Aside from Pachinko, betting on horse, powerboat, motorcycle, and bicycle races are the only other legal forms of gambling in Japan.
Late last year, the country’s government passed a bill for the legalization of casino gambling, but there are still a number of legislative matters to be sorted out before residents and guests of Japan are allowed to gamble at local casinos.
Japan’s Casino Legalization Effort and the Recent Call for Snap Election
The Japanese Diet was expected to produce and pass a bill that would have set out the rules under which the local casino industry would be regulated by the end of the year. Among other things, said bill was also expected to lay out principles for socially responsible operation of casinos amid growing concerns about rising problem gambling rates.
However, the recent call for snap election made by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will certainly delay discussions and the passage of the piece of legislation. Without that important piece, the process of establishing the nation’s casino industry cannot commence.
Japan’s casino legalization effort spans at least a decade back, despite multiple encouragements that once legalized, the local market will turn into one of the world’s most lucrative. Big industry names such as Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, and Melco Resorts & Entertainment have already expressed interest in operating in Japan. However, it all shows that they will have to wait for a while longer.
It became clear earlier this week that the upcoming snap election will push back casino discussions and a number of other important legislative matters to early 2018. Prior to those latest developments in the Japanese Diet, hopes were that first casino resorts would open doors around 2022. With the current state of affairs and the postponed late 2017 vote on the casino bill, the launch of the gambling venues could, too, be set back.
