Japanese lawmakers’ inclusion of very tight measures in the gambling bill is also why they have started to gather public opinion that can play an important role in creating an appropriate gambling legal system.
Under the proposed regulations, casinos will have a maximum limit of 15,000 square meters on the total area of each integrated resort. Earlier this year, it was explained that the main idea of an integrated resort was to focus on leisure activities rather than gambling. Lawmakers plan to allow two integrated casino resorts that are expected to be located in two of Japan’s largest cities. Tokyo, Osaka and Hokkaido appear to be the three most likely to host integrated casino resorts.
To alleviate concerns about gambling problems and social ills, lawmakers also proposed restricting Japanese access to casinos by charging substantial admission fees. While allowing foreign tourists to enter casino facilities whenever they want, the proposed measures will only be valid for the Japanese. That’s not surprising considering that Japan aims to increase the number of foreign visitors and establish itself as an attractive tourist destination.
Currently, lawmakers are working on a second casino bill that addresses all the details of the operation and construction of the upcoming Integrated Resort (IR). The original plan was to open the first resort by 2020 in time for the Summer Olympics, which were scheduled to take place in Tokyo. However, the development process of the integrated resort has experienced many setbacks, which have slowed down the pace of development, so it is expected to expand over a longer period than previously mentioned.