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Published on: April 1, 2026, 11:52h.
Updated on: April 1, 2026, 11:52h.
- Japan is set to reopen casino license bidding in May 2027
- The nation is able to award two additional gaming licenses
- MGM Osaka plans to launch in 2030
In 2018, Japan granted approval for up to three integrated resort casinos. Fast forward eight years, only one project is currently licensed and in progress, but additional developments could be authorized in the coming years alongside MGM Osaka.
Recently, the Japanese government approved a Cabinet Order to initiate a second bidding round for two remaining gaming licenses beginning May 6, 2027, and concluding on November 5, 2027. During this application phase, prefectures and cities will be able to invite proposals from potential integrated resort developers and submit their applications to the Japan Tourism Agency for approval.
This time, the administration led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asserts that the process will differ. Unlike the previous bidding round which was lengthy and faced numerous challenges leading most candidates to withdraw, Takaichi’s Cabinet aims to enhance market appeal by streamlining the process.
The Takaichi Cabinet asserts that the tourism initiative “will be implemented with diligence.”
Second Integrated Resort Round
The Cabinet Order, termed the “Basic Plan for Promoting Japan as a Tourism Hub,” outlines policies and strategies for the initiative.
“The government will encourage necessary actions to grow integrated resorts, enhancing Japan’s international competitiveness in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions) sector, supporting appealing stay-based tourism, and drawing inbound visitors to various regions of the nation,” the document states. “In parallel, the government is pursuing measures to mitigate various concerns related to casinos.”
Under Japan’s 2018 gaming regulation, a casino’s operational area within an integrated resort must not exceed 3% of the total indoor space available.
The tourism initiative aims to attract 60 million international visitors to Japan by 2030, with a target of 15 trillion yen (approximately US$94.5 billion) in annual foreign spending.
In 2025, Japan welcomed 42.7 million foreign visitors, representing a nearly 16% increase from 2024. International spending was around ¥9.5 trillion.
Potential Candidates
The prefectures of Hokkaido and Aichi are progressing with integrated resort feasibility studies to determine their candidacy for a casino license. Aichi ranks as Japan’s fourth-most populous prefecture with approximately 7.5 million residents, while Hokkaido stands eighth with about 5.2 million.
Nagoya, located in Aichi, is Japan’s fourth largest city with a population surpassing 2.3 million. Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, is the fifth-largest with close to two million inhabitants.
Japan hopes that Las Vegas Sands, the largest gaming operator globally by market value and one of the most reputable, will rekindle its interest. The company withdrew from Yokohama in May 2020, as then-Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson criticized the licensing framework.
“While my positive sentiments towards Japan remain strong, and I am convinced the country could benefit from integrating resort tourism, the current framework for developing an integrated resort has made our objectives there unattainable,” the late Adelson remarked at that time.
Sands’ exit triggered similar withdrawals from other operators, including Wynn Resorts, Galaxy Entertainment, Genting, and Melco Resorts.
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