Japan: Casino Administration Committee finally up and running

The committee will oversee casino licensing and operations as an external bureau of the cabinet and will be responsible for administrative procedures

Japan.- Japan’s casino regulatory body, the Casino Administration Committee, was finally established on Tuesday. After a number of concerns that caused a delay to the original date of establishment that was set for July 1, 2019, it began operating yesterday.

The committee will oversee casino licensing and operations as an external bureau of the cabinet. It will also be responsible for administrative procedures such as revoking licenses in case of violations of the law. 

The Japanese government established the CAC on Tuesday as an external department to the cabinet to manage and supervise the nation’s IR operators. In addition to granting the licenses necessary for casino operation, it will also handle measures for problem gambling and money laundering.

The Casino Administration Committee is composed of a Chairman – former Fukuoka High Prosecutor’s Attorney, General Michio Katamura – and four other members. Former member of Nagoya National Taxation Bureau, Hiroyuki Ujikane and psychiatrist Michiko Watari are committee members. 

The Committee will have strong independent powers in the same way as the Fair Trade Commission and the National Public Safety Commission. It will also play an important role in the local government decisions about the locations of the three IRs in Japan.

The CAC looks set for a busy start, too. Over the last few days, Japanese media has posted major accusations against local politicians over allegedly receiving bribe money. Reports say that several accepted bribes from casino lobbyists looking to secure approvals for developments in Hokkaido and Yokohama, two of the cities that have the intention to make an IR bid, alongside Wakayama and Nagasaki. Last month Hokkaido, and yesterday Chiba, have withdrawn from the race.