Chinese operator wants Okinawa IR license

The CEO of an online sports lottery provider from China revealed that he wants to invest in a future Okinawa integrated resort.

Japan.- Zhengming Pan, CEO of the China based online sports lottery provider 500.com said during a press conference in Naha that he’s interested in investing US$2.5 billion in an integrated resort in Okinawa, Japan.

The governor of Okinawa had reported that he opposed the idea of an IR in his territory, as AGBrief reported. Nevertheless, the CEO said that they need a debate about the reasons for the opposition. “We can bring cutting edge technology to the Japan IR business and the issue of gambling addiction through the use of big data and artificial intelligence.” he added. The event hosted in Naha counted with the presence of a lawmaker from the national ruling party, LDP Representative Tsukasa Akimoto, as well as Okinawa’s former governor’s committee that is investigating the possibility of an integrated resort.

Last week, it was revealed that the national government is set to visit Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Sendai, Sapporo, Nagoya, Toyama and Takamatsu to discuss gaming policies and potential host cities. The governmental public hearings throughout the country will be focused on legal strategies to prevent problem gambling and money laundering through casino operations, as well as basic recommendations for developing the gaming industry. The official tour will begin next September 17-29 in order to meet with representatives of cities that are interested in achieving a gaming license.