Casino resort may be built in Tomakomai

One of the Casino resorts in Japan can be built in Tomakomai

An integrated casino resort (IR) can be built in Tomakomai if the Hokkaido authorities approve this initiative.

The Committee of Experts held its first meeting last Monday, and the place chosen for the construction of the IR will be revealed until 2019.

The bill on the construction of the IR was approved by the Japanese legislature, and now the participants of the gambling industry received a "green light" to enter the country's market. Nevertheless, until now concrete cities and prefectures have not been named for the future construction of the gambling establishments. The Hokkaido Committee is still considering this issue.

The Executive Committee, which was established by Governor Harumi Takahashi, held its first meeting last Monday and announced that the site for the IR would be approved by the end of 2018. It is expected that one of the options may be the city of Tomakomai, but other locations, such as Rusutu or Kushiro, are also being considered.

Although most Hokkaido prefectural members opposed the IR construction, Governor Takahashi approved the initiative and established the Committee of Experts as part of a lobbying policy to enable the industry to develop in the prefecture.

Meanwhile, gambling operators see great prospects in the Japanese market. The two largest contenders for licenses - Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd and Las Vegas Sands Corp - recently once again announced that they intend to enter the Japanese market.