Japan’s draft regulations for casinos, undergoing public consultation until May 9, still require clarifications in key areas, including the definition of VIP play, says Kentaro Maruta (pictured) of KPMG Japan’s Integrated Resort Advisory Group. He was speaking in the opening session on Wednesday, of the Japan IR Forum, an online conference.
The draft rules neither define VIP gaming, nor say whether a rolling chip programme – typically a feature of VIP play – will be permitted in Japanese casino complexes or integrated resorts (IRs) as they are known in that nation, Mr Maruta noted.
Already clear is that third-party junkets of the sort seen in Macau, will not be permitted.
The Japan IR Forum, an online conference to discuss the nascent Japan casino industry and large-scale gaming complexes or integrated resorts (IRs), is being held on Wednesday and Thursday (April 21 and 22). The event is organised by the Japan IR Association and the Japan IR Forum committee.
Topics include the impact of Covid-19 on the potential for inbound tourists to the country. The Japanese authorities have identified foreign tourists as a key target market for the country’s IRs.
Contributors to the Japan IR Forum include Japanese academics and Japanese experts on the IR topic.
Also speaking is Simon Cheung, a managing director at banking group Goldman Sachs. His day-one presentation will be about the regional competition likely to face Japan’s IR sector, given the economic development in Asia Pacific, and the number of gaming resort projects either already built, or in development.