Hard Rock seeks Japanese market

Hard Rock published its interest in the competition for the operation of upcoming Japanese casino.

Japan.- A week after MGM has announced its intentions to expand to Japan once the government decides to go through with the legalisation, Hard Rock expressed its interest in participating in the competition to become the next operator in the Asian country. According to the famous company, they are ready to make a “major investment” in Japan.

Last Friday, the casino bill reached further support by the Japanese political world during the Japan Academy of Integrated Resort & Gaming Studies annual meeting in Tokyo, leading to major casino operators to be especially interested in the development of the industry.

“The feeling we get is that this is more likely to happen now,” expressed Hard Rock chief executive officer Hamish Dodds. “There’s more noise, there’s greater discussions in the commercial sector about how and when this will be realised,” he added during an interview in Tokyo.

Hamish Dodds, who expects the Japanese casino market to be more than US$10 billion, has commented that they are currently looking for partners to jointly bid for the license. “We can either play a lead role or a partnership role,” Dodds said. “We really hope that we can collaborate with Japanese partners and institutions.” The joint project would compete with MGM Resorts International and Las Vegas Sands Corp. proposals for the seeming upcoming casino.