Osaka and Nagasaki Outline Responsible Gambling Plans

Osaka and Nagasaki expect to cope with gambling addiction regardless of whether they host the first IR in Japan.

Both prefectures have outlined their addiction-fighting strategies. They did this to win over the central government and host the country’s first integrated resort. They also want to move promptly to prevent harm from legalizing gaming.

Osaka and Nagasaki gambling plans

The IR will only investigate overseas gambling, while the prefectures have released new plans based on the Basic Law on Gambling Addiction. As the government opens its gambling business, with a concentration on casinos, the legislation protects customers. After central government clearance, Osaka and Nagasaki will open the first integrated resort.

Osaka announced its year-end gambling addiction fight last week. The city also hopes to lead a large casino project with MGM Resorts. As deadlines approach, the prefecture’s $8.1 billion estimate may change.

The casino resort proposal may not be completed until 2029, although gambling addiction measures are for 2023–2025. The leaders remain optimistic. Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura is thrilled about the opening of a new integrated resort and the work to help gambling addicts. He argues this is an opportunity to fix a problem from before the integrated resort law.

An integrated resort could help alleviate Osaka’s gambling addiction problem, which has gone unreported and unsolved. Yoshimura believes his prefecture will fix the issue when the integrated resort opens in a few years. Nagasaki has its own 2023 strategy.

Both prefectures will implement their problem-solving programs regardless of the integrated resort allocation.