Japan lawmakers re-submit casino bill

Japanese lawmakers have reportedly re-submitted a bill that would set the framework for legalizing casinos in the country, though timetable for passage remains unclear.

The bill was expected to pass in 2014, though it faced repeated delays amidst opposition from politicians concerned about the impact on problem gambling. Chances of passage last year were dealt a final blow when a political scandal forced Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to dissolve parliament and call snap elections.

Abe is a key backer of the bill as a cornerstone of his policy to boost tourism arrivals in the country. However, analysts say the repeated delays mean that the chances of any casino being open in time to coincide with Tokyo hosting the 2020 Olympics are now very slim.

Still, the world’s biggest casino companies have been jostling for position ahead of the bidding for a license to operate in what is expected to become one of the world’s largest gambling markets.

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