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Japan’s draft regulations for casinos, undergoing public consultation until May 9, are currently stringent in terms of ensuring integrity of casino operations, and are compatible with current gaming industry practice in major regulated markets, industry observers told GGRAsia. But there are still several areas of the draft regulations that require further clarity, the people indicated.
The Japan Casino Regulatory Commission announced on April 2 a draft of its intended enforcement regulations. They cover the basics of casino operations and oversight measures, among other things.
Japanese scholar Toru Mihara told GGRAsia, the aim of the regulations was to be “sufficiently stringent” to ensure the “integrity and safety” of casino operations at integrated resorts (IRs), as large-scale casino complexes with tourism facilities are known in that nation.
The land-based casino business in Asia-Pacific and beyond was simply one among many commercial sectors devastated during 2020 by the Covid-19 pandemic. The economic effects on the casino industry are well documented, with venue closures and dramatic year-on-year declines in casino gross gaming revenue (GGR).
GGRAsia asked several commentators on the Asia-Pacific industry to give their thoughts on what opportunities have arisen from the crisis, that might benefit the sector in 2021 and beyond.
The year 2020 “shook up the industry, forced it to think, behave and operate dramatically differently,” said consultant Niall Murray, a former senior gaming executive in Macau and Las Vegas, and chairman of Murray International (Macau) Co Ltd.