Kanagawa launches problem gambling survey

Results will be used to develop anti-addiction measures should the province and the cities within it be awarded one of three IR licences in Japan.

Japan. Authorities in Kanagawa are keen to pursue one of the three IR licences up for grabs in Japan but some political parties in the region have raised concerns over the potential for problem gambling.

A survey among locals was carried out last year to determine if the prefecture should bid for an IR, and this will now be followed by a second survey to gain a better understanding of how it might impact gambling addiction among its citizens.

The city of Yokohama, which sits in the Kanagawa Prefecture, said it would work on anti-addiction measures based on the results of the survey and the results of a similar survey being carried out in Yokohama.

The survey will be a mailed questionnaire that will be sent to 6,750 randomly selected residents between the ages of 18 and 74 who live in the Kanagawa Prefecture.

It will include gambling activities such as pachinko and slot machines, horse racing and bike racing, internet gambling, lottery and even securities trading and residents will be asked about experience, frequency, amounts spent and whether they have experienced problems at home due to gambling.

Last November, anti-casino groups launched an information website detailing the potential impact the construction of an IR might have on the city.