Japan has rejected the Nagasaki casino plan due to funding concerns, leaving Osaka as the only approved resort for the time being.As reported in Japan, the Japanese government has officially rejected a proposed casino resort in Nagasaki Prefecture, citing concerns about the project’s financial feasibility. The decision, disclosed on Wednesday, puts a halt to the plans for an integrated resort at the Huis Ten Bosch seaside resort due to doubts surrounding its economic viability.
The Nagasaki integrated resort proposal, under scrutiny since April, aimed to replicate the success of a similar venture in Osaka. Projected estimates for the Nagasaki project suggested an expected annual influx of 8.4 million visitors, potentially generating an economic windfall of 330 billion yen (US$2.34 billion) for the southwestern region of Japan.
In Japan, government approval is a prerequisite for casino operations, involving a series of evaluations and licences. A panel of experts under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism assesses resort proposals based on criteria such as their ability to attract overseas visitors, economic benefits, and measures against gambling addiction.
While a casino resort in Osaka received approval in April, the Nagasaki plan had been lingering in the review process. The forthcoming integrated resort in Osaka, located on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay, anticipates drawing approximately 20 million visitors annually, potentially yielding 1.14 trillion yen in annual economic benefits upon its projected opening in 2030.
In 2021, Nagasaki had previously approved proposals from five groups for the integrated resort project, including consortiums like Oshidori International Holdings, Casinos Austria International Japan, Current Group, the Niki Chau Fwu (Parkview) Group, and One Kyushu, which involves Pixel Companyz and Groupe Partouche SA.
