The Japan Casino Regulatory Commission has secured an increase in funding for the 2026 financial year as the country seeks to advance its casino ambitions.
The commission’s draft budget revealed that funding will rise to ¥3.91 billion (£18.5m), up 5.4% compared to the ¥3.71 billion the regulator had at its disposal in the previous year.
The large majority of funding, 63.2%, is allocated to staff costs. According to the draft proposals, staffing at the commission will increase by one to 168.
Elsewhere, other expenses include general operational costs, costs to “establish an organisation to supervise casino operators and others” and “conduct examinations of casino operators and equipment providers to check the suitability for granting licences”.
The decision to increase spending comes as the country’s government has moved to expand the development of integrated resorts.
Iron Lady eyeing integrated resorts growth?
In October, Japan’s newly elected leader, Sanae Takaichi, urged the country’s Tourism Minister to resume efforts to promote integrated resorts as part of Japan’s broader economic growth strategy.
Takaichi became Japan’s first-ever female Prime Minister and has a strong history of supporting the integrated resorts sector and its prosperity.
The Japanese Tourism Agency, in response, released a draft Cabinet order laying out plans for a new application window for local governments interested in hosting integrated resorts between 6 May 2027 and 5 November 2027.
Up to three development plans may be certified by the government under the 2018 integrated resorts law.
So far, only one plan has received approval, and work has begun on a resort led by a joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Japan’s Orix Corporation in Osaka.
The project is slated to cost ¥1.27 trillion (£6.4bn) and is expected to open in 2030.
During the first round of applications, held in 2023, the cities of Nagasaki and Wakayama were rejected, while Yokohama withdrew its application, citing social concerns.
Looking ahead, it is likely that both these locations will once again submit applications, while Hokkaido has also displayed interest in exploring the economic potential of land-based gaming.
Each region must prepare an area development plan in collaboration with a private sector operator. Previously, industry giants including Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts and Hard Rock International were linked to applications.
Despite most forms of gambling remaining illegal in Japan, the Japanese government estimates that ¥1.24tn (£6.2bn) is wagered each year via online gaming platforms, demonstrating the country’s appetite for gambling and the potential economic opportunities presented by the proposed integrated resorts.
Limited competition in Asia means the ceiling for Japanese engagement is significant, and it was only elevated further by the downfall of the casino bill in Thailand in 2025.
Anticipation for the Thailand casino bill led to a myriad of operators enhancing their footprint in Asia, many of which have continued to retain their presence in the continent, which could present a further opportunity for Japan as its casino sector grows.
As an indication of concerns surrounding engagement with online gambling platforms, the gambling-blocking software company Gamban recently announced that its services are now available in Japanese.
Developed with the help of designers in Tokyo and the Japan-based Society Concerned About Gambling Addiction, Gamban stated that making its app available in Japanese continues the organisation’s mission to make its services available for as many users as possible.
Alongside Japanese, Gamban is also available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Dutch, Norwegian, and Finnish.
