UBS predicts no H1 passage of Japan casino bill

Japan, under newly re-elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, may entertain discussions on legalizing casinos, but won’t pass the bill in the Jan-June session of parliament, according to investment firm UBS in its top predictions for 2015.

The firm echoes the view from other analysts that the bill won’t be passed until late in the year at the very earliest and there is now no hope of having integrated resorts up and running to capitalize on Tokyo hosting the 2020 Olympics.

UBS also said it doesn’t expect gross gambling revenue in Macau to show positive year-on-year growth until the second half of 2015, with continued austerity likely to pressure VIP revenues.

In the U.S., the firm doesn’t expect to see any increase in replacement unit sales this year for gaming supply companies, while it has a positive view of the cruise market.

Virgin will order a ship with option for a second ship for delivery in 2019 and 2020,

respectively, and with lower fuel prices, Caribbean capacity down YOY in Q2 and Q3, and an Arctic blast on the way, “could it be a good Caribbean season for the cruise lines?” the note said.  

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