Nagasaki IR depends on election
The future casino development in the Japanese city of Nagasaki is taken to debates about elections.
Japan.- Although casino legalisation has not taken effect in Japan yet due to several discussions around further regulations, the cities that are interested in developing a legal gaming market are planning how to implement the law within the following months. One of them is Nagasaki, which depends on the ballot’s winning to determine whether to allow or reject casino proposals.
Current Nagasaki Governor Hodo Nakamura began his second term in the position in 2014. Nakamura is an independent backed by the Liberal Democratic Party and has stated that he will also support casino operations in Nagasaki once the national government passes the final legislations ruling the market.
According to the local press, the potential integrated resort in Nagasaki would be installed at the Huis Ten Bosch theme park in Sasebo city. However, Nakamura’s rival in the elections, Toshihiko Haraguchi, has revealed his firm opposition to casino legalisation. Therefore, the city would only be able to approve or reject gaming proposals once the results of the elections are confirmed.
The Nagasaki elections will be held on February 4. In the meantime, casino industry in Japan has been put on hold since national legislators have postponed debates related to further regulations to activate the approved gaming legislation. The general bill on casinos cannot take effect until the Congress passes all regulations as to gambling prevention, license process, gaming taxes, among other things.
