Japan opens new bidding round for casino resorts in 2027.
The Japanese cabinet has approved changes to legislation allowing prefectures and municipalities to submit proposals for integrated resorts. The decision was made on Tuesday (March 10). The application submission period will be between May and November 2027. This is the first opportunity in five years for regional governments to apply for these projects.
A 2018 law establishes that the government can certify up to three integrated resorts in the country. These complexes include casinos, hotels, convention centers, and tourist attractions. To date, only Osaka has had a project certified. Approval occurred in 2023. The opening is scheduled for the fall of 2030. The Osaka development, developed by MGM Resorts in partnership with Orix Corporation, represents an investment of over US$8 billion and will be built on Yumeshima Island.
The Japan Tourism Agency has set a period from May to November 2027 for prefectures and cities to submit proposals. Local governments in Aichi and Hokkaido, as well as the Tokyo Port Authority, have already expressed interest in participating in the selection process. The last bidding round took place between autumn 2021 and spring 2022.
Government strategy for tourism
The reopening of the process occurs after the end of the Covid -19 pandemic . The disease had paralyzed several regional revitalization projects. The central government intends to expand the availability of these complexes beyond Osaka to direct tourists to less visited regions of the country.
The measure is part of a government strategy that aims to attract 60 million international visitors by 2030. The total expected annual expenditure is 15 trillion yen (US$95,2 billion). The legislation, passed in 2018 and known as the Integrated Resort Development Act , was championed by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Liberal Democratic Party, with the goal of promoting tourism in a country traditionally known as a global business hub.
Regions interested in the projects
Aichi plans to develop its project on a 50-hectare area on the artificial island where Chubu Centrair International Airport operates. The airport serves Nagoya. The prefecture had been considering the plan since the late 2010s. The pandemic suspended the project, along with some other revitalization projects. Nagoya, with 2,3 million inhabitants, is the fourth most populous prefecture in Japan, with approximately 7,5 million residents, and its strategic location allows for short flights to South Korea. The prefecture has allocated JPY 277 million (US$1,75 million) for feasibility studies of the project.
In a press conference in February, Aichi Governor Hideaki Omura expressed a desire to revive the integrated resort plan as a strategy to attract tourists. “We need to quickly become an international tourist city,” Omura said. The prefecture will review a 2019 document outlining the benefits and challenges. Aichi will conduct interviews with business operators to determine the feasibility of its project.
In Hokkaido, Tomakomai and Hakodate have expressed interest in hosting the complexes. In a survey conducted in 2025, the two cities demonstrated interest in developing integrated resorts. The business community welcomes the idea. The Hokkaido Economic Federation organized a workshop . Hokkaido, the eighth most populous prefecture with approximately 5,2 million inhabitants, allocated JPY 10 million (US$ 63.100 billion) for feasibility studies. Sapporo, its main city with approximately 2 million people, is served by New Chitose International Airport and could attract visitors from eastern China and the Russian Far East.
A prominent business leader from Hokkaido stated, “If we miss this opportunity, there won’t be another.” Hokkaido established an expert panel in January to explore the possibility of an integrated resort. The province will review a 2019 document outlining the benefits and challenges of integrated resorts.
The governor of Hokkaido, Naomichi Suzuki, had previously abandoned a proposal to develop an integrated resort. He cited concerns about preserving the natural habitat . Some believe Suzuki was taking public opinion into account in light of a corruption scandal linked to integrated resorts.
The Tokyo Port Authority has allocated funds for research on integrated resorts every year since fiscal year 2015. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will continue to analyze the pros and cons of hosting an integrated resort in the Japanese capital. Many companies in Tokyo have expressed interest in operating integrated resorts.
Shota Otani, head of investment research at the Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Research Institute, pointed to geographical constraints on the economic viability of such ventures. "When considering attracting visitors, including foreigners, an integrated resort would only be viable as a business in a limited number of large cities, such as the Tokyo metropolitan area or Fukuoka," said Otani.
Previous experiences and obstacles
Nagasaki had participated in the previous round. The province had its proposal rejected, in part due to a lack of clarity regarding funding. Nagasaki's application, submitted by Casinos Austria for development in Sasebo, near the Huis Ten Bosch theme park, was one of only two proposals that qualified in the previous round, along with Osaka. Yokohama and Wakayama had previously considered applications. Both cities withdrew due to local opposition. Yokohama and Wakayama shelved their plans.
There are concerns that allowing a casino could lead to an increase in gambling addiction. To mitigate this risk, integrated resorts would limit each visitor to three entries per seven days.
Financial matters
Approval of a plan for an integrated resort faces several obstacles. The first prerequisite is a realistic financing strategy. An integrated resort worthy of being an international tourist hub will require enormous investments.
The integrated resort in Osaka was initially estimated at 1,08 trillion yen. The cost has increased to 1,51 trillion yen. The complex will feature 2.500 hotel rooms, a theater with a capacity of 3.500 people, 400 square feet of convention facilities, dozens of restaurants and bars, a shopping center , and a public park. The casino area will be limited to a maximum of 3% of the total resort space, as determined by Japanese law.
Integrated resorts are often operated by joint ventures between local companies and experienced operators. A financing plan will depend on the ability to attract major operators such as Las Vegas Sands and Genting Singapore. To date, only the US-based Bally's Corporation has publicly expressed interest in submitting a bid should Japan reopen bidding for the two remaining gaming concessions. When Japan legalized casinos in 2018, virtually all major global companies in the sector showed interest, including Las Vegas Sands, Wynn Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Melco Resorts, Mohegan, and Hard Rock International. However, the lengthy regulatory process, combined with the COVID -19 pandemic, resulted in most of these companies withdrawing.
