Osaka Now Accepting Casino Resort Proposals

The western Japanese prefecture of Osaka has reportedly started accepting proposals from operators and developers that are interested in establishing a casino resort on a man-made island in Osaka Bay. Relevant authorities in the prefecture are set to select the preferred developer of an integrated resorts casino that will be located at the Yumeshima island near the city of Osaka – this property is reportedly going to be up and running by the spring of next year.

As it turns out, the anticipated Spring 2020 launch date is based on the hopes of the city and prefectural officials that the future integrated resort will be completed and become operational by the time the World Expo 2025 that is set to be hosted in Osaka rolls around.

Through the so-called request-for-concept application process, the interested developers are expected to present the city’s officials with basic information about what their proposed integrated resorts would feature and how they would look like. Some of the important information that the developers will have to provide will include convention an exhibition space as well as various other attractions and how they would positively impact the country’s culture.

Moreover, the developers will need to provide information regarding their plans to deal with the issue of problem gambling and ensuring the overall safety of their host communities.

Why Osaka?

You might be wondering why Osaka is already making preparation for an integrated resort even before being given the green light to host one. Well, while a number of cities and prefectures in the country have expressed their interest in hosting one of the three integrated resorts, Osaka remains to be a known favorite and this can be seen from the optimism of the developers as well as the central Japanese government.

The Gambling Scene in Japan

Casino gambling officially became legal in Japan in 2016 and since then, the country has been working on crafting relevant rules and regulations that will govern the industry. One of the laws that have already been implemented requires that the casinos be part of larger integrated resorts. In addition to that, the casinos will be required to occupy only 3 percent or less of the large properties that they will be a part of.

There are currently three gaming licenses up for grabs and the three developers that will be awarded will be expected to build Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) properties that will comprise of the casinos, conference and exhibition facilities, non-gambling attractions, some of the biggest hotels in the country as well as many other amenities.