A government task force to deal with the negative social consequences of gambling was set up by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday. The working group will endeavor to establish comprehensive integrated resort regulations and effective measures to counter gambling addiction.
The expert panel presided by Abe and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga is going to include lawyers, accountants, economists and political analysts. Additional issues on the task force’s agenda will be criminal and money laundering activities in casinos.
Among the policies under consideration are entrance fees to gaming establishments as well as voluntary addition of problem gamblers to casino exclusion lists.
The exact proposals are expected to be presented until the end of the summer so that legislation could be promulgated by the end of the year.
The international casino industry is awaiting the approval of the new IR law and preparing competitive proposals for the first casino resorts in the country.
The Osaka Prefecture has already made a move to attract prospective IR developers. It has ambitions to turn Yumeshima, a man-made island in Osaka Bay, into an integrated resort with a casino, hotel and commercial facilities, and cultural events.