The Japanese Government has been planning to make gambling companies that file applications for integrated resorts casino operating licenses pay for the background checks’ expenses.
The above-mentioned background checks are set to be carried out by a casino management commission. The latter is expected to be created within the Cabinet Office, with the National Police Agency and other competent authorities’ officials to become part of the structure.
As reported by The Yomiuri Shimbun, implementing such a high-barrier measure would help the Government to sort out businesses which are not enough qualified to run such casinos and prevent criminal enterprises from filing applications at all. For the time being, no more information on the measure have been revealed or officially commented, but the authorities are expected to first iron out the details related to the application, examination and consideration process.
According to media sources, the Japanese Government plans to submit a number of bills focused especially on casinos operation in integrated resorts over the ongoing Diet session.
Gambling companies that want to acquire casino operating license are likely to be subjected to special background checks set to bring more clarity to the companies’ past in order to prevent criminal enterprises from setting foot in Japan’s gaming sector. Under the planned new rules, applicants for casino operating licenses would be forced to pay for the background checks’ costs even in case that their application fails and they are not allowed to open a casino.
Basically, the new rules that are being considered by the Japanese Government mean that applicants will have to face not only close examination of their credibility, but also financial burdens.
Japan Opening Its Market for Casino Operations
Japan already made the first step towards permitting the establishment of so-called Integrated Resorts Casinos (IRCs), following the decision of the Parliament to pass the “Integrated Resort Promotion Law” in 2016. It took years to the country to open its market for casino gambling, with the latter being forbidden by law for years.
Despite the fact that the above-mentioned piece of legislation brought some controversial opinions associated with casino gambling in Japan, it lift the ban on casino to a certain extent. Under the provisions of the new piece of legislation, casino gambling is now allowed only as part of a larger hotel resort, which includes not only a hotel, but an international conference hall and some entertainment facilities as well.
For the time being, a total of two integrated resorts have been considered, with the cities of Osaka and Yokohama being considered the locations which are most likely to be chosen for the resorts after the official implementation of the legislation.
As mentioned above, the Japanese Government is to investigate on the credibility of every company which applies for a casino operating license, with thorough checks to be carried out into applicants which show the slightest signs of impropriety. Now, the Government is expected to propose a special cost-burden system for the background investigation at a meeting of a project team headed by the local Liberal Democrats and coalition partner Komeito.
- Author
Daniel Williams
