Japan proposes casino entry fee
Residents of Japan will have to pay a US$18.6 casino entry fee.
Japan.- The casino entry fee proposal has received governmental support, and it’s now been decided that the initial payment should be set at USS$18.6 per player. This fee would only be charged to residents of Japan under a framework discouraging participation in gaming activities.
The casino fee proposal will be added to the Integrated Resorts (IR) Implementation Bill, which is still delayed in the Japanese Congress. So far, legislators have revealed that they are preparing the bill limiting the licences in major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, but it could also include multiple smaller licenses in other locations. Each major casino could offer 500 table games and 3,000 slot machines, and they’re expected to generate at least US$6 billion annually in revenue.
Despite usually discussing the national budget for the fiscal year each time the ordinary session begins, the government wants to have the bill passed soon, hence the change in tradition. As a result, the bill is set to reach the House of Representatives by March once it receives cabinet approval.
The ordinary session of parliament is due to end on June 20; the IR Implementation Bill may therefore be passed sometime between April and that date. Last year, Japan saw an 11 per cent increase in foreign visitors between January and November. According to estimates from the Japan National Tourism Organisation, tourist numbers are likely to grow way beyond current figures.
