Boost for envisioned Japanese integrated casino resort hopefuls

In Japan and the coalition government of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is reportedly set to finally release the conclusive criteria for those jurisdictions hoping to win the right to host one of the nation’s coming trio of integrated casino resorts.

According to a report from Inside Asian Gaming, the so-called ‘Basic Policy’ document is scheduled to appear later today containing the essential guidelines for communities wanting to participate in the race to secure one of the three lucrative casino licenses. The source detailed that the strategy’s original January publication had been delayed owing to bribery allegations involving prominent legislator Tsukasa Akimoto while a subsequent July deadline was missed due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Basic benchmarks:

However, the source reported that a draft of the ‘Basic Policy’ released in September of last year had laid out five evaluation criteria that government selectors were to consider in choosing the winners of the three licenses. These conditions purportedly included that any such coming casino proposal be internationally attractive and feature a clear concept that was competitive in size, design and quality.

Further functions:

In addition to a requirement that any future Japanese integrated casino resort agree to invest a sizeable amount of returns back into its host community, the source reported that these initial rules had mandated that such developments must take measures to eliminate any adverse impacts such as crime and problem gambling, have a positive economic effect and be run by a financially stable enterprise.

Resultant reschedule:

One downside to the multiple delays in publishing the definitive ‘Basic Policy’ document is that the planned final deadline for application submissions has now reportedly been pushed back by a full year to July of 2022. Candidate communities including the likes of Osaka, Yokohama, Sasebo and Wakayama Prefecture will purportedly be allowed to begin lodging their formal bids with federal selectors in Tokyo from January although hopes have disappeared that any Japanese integrated casino resort could open by as early as 2025.