A representative from Japan’s leading opposition group has introduced a measure to abolish the legislation that permits the construction of integrated casino complexes within the nation.
This proposal emerges following accusations of bribery against Zheng Mingpan, the head and chief executive of 500.com, a Chinese gambling lottery and betting firm, in connection with the development of Japanese integrated resorts.
Zheng Mingpan temporarily relinquished his position earlier this month (January 6) pending the conclusion of an internal inquiry into the allegations.
This recent controversy has also reignited opposition to the Integrated Resort Act, which was enacted in July 2018.
The bill was presented by Jun Azumi, a former Finance Minister and a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the official opposition to the ruling coalition headed by Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party.
Azumi’s bill, which would come into effect immediately, contains a clause forbidding the disclosure of any confidential information known to members of the Casino Management Commission regulatory body.
Nevertheless, the bill is unlikely to be approved as the governing party is expected to oppose it.
The debate appears to have spurred the government to postpone the unveiling of the selection criteria for the integrated resort city, initially planned for this month. The policy might now undergo further adjustments, local news outlets reported.
Operators, including MGM, have voiced their interest in constructing integrated resorts in Japan. The company has committed to developing a “world-class integrated resort with a unique Japanese identity,” alongside Caesars Entertainment, Hard Rock International, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts.
In November 2019, the Japanese government designated former Ministry of Defense legal compliance director Michihiro Kitamura to lead the casino regulatory commission.
The government initiated a public consultation on the proposed regulations for integrated resorts in September, concluding it on October 3. Prior to that.
Sign up for the iGaming newsletter.