Japan, Ready to Receive New Casino Resort Bids in 2027

Japan’s Tourism Agency is ready to accept additional applications from local governments interested in hosting integrated resort (IR) development areas with casino gaming. 

According to information from several media sources, applicants will be able to send their papers for a duration of six months, starting May 6, 2027, until November 5, 2027. 

Public Discussions to Follow

Earlier in the week, the 2008-established external bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism published a draft Cabinet order that announced the new application window for all interested municipalities. 

The respective draft is currently subject to public debate. The period of debate will be followed by its official adoption as a regulation, according to the requirements of the country’s Integrated Resorts Act.

The application period will officially run with a small number of localities, including Hokkaido and Nagasaki, which are expected to express their desire to apply. Nagasaki is already familiar with the bidding process, as it participated in the previous round of applications, together with another locality. 

Its bid was denied, however, because of uncertainties regarding its financing solutions as well as its lack of experience in operating IRs at a large scale.

Two More Licenses, Up for Grabs

The IR Development Act clearly stipulates that up to three nationwide locations can be chosen in total. So far, MGM’s Osaka obtained one of the three coveted licenses during the original application round and has already begun construction work on the bold project. 

In total, the development of the Osaka IR is expected to cost around $8.6 billion. The property will spread across 52 acres on Yumeshima, Osaka Bay’s 700-acre artificial island.

The resort will have three hotels from three different brands for a total of 2,500 rooms, along with a 730,000-square-foot convention space. The casino will take 3% of the resort’s total space indoors.

This leaves the government with two more licenses to be handed out in the new round of applications.

The Japan Tourism Agency commissioner, Shigeki Murata, called the development and promotion of IRs an important contribution “to the promotion of stay-based tourism.”

“This is an important measure toward realizing a tourism-oriented nation,” Murata added.