• About Us
  • The Team
  • Advertise with Us

The latest news on the gaming industry in Asia

() () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () ()
  • Home
  • Macau
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Japan
  • Rest of Asia
  • World
  • Features
  • Industry Talk
  • Trends & Tech
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • RSS Feed
    • LinkedIn

Hard Rock wants to make big casino play in Japan

Nov 07, 2016 Newsdesk Japan, Latest News, Top of the deck  


Hard Rock wants to make big casino play in Japan

The Hard Rock group’s chief executive says it is willing to make a “major investment” in Japan if casino gaming is legalised there.

Hamish Dodds told Bloomberg News in an interview: “We can either play a lead role or a partnership role. We really hope that we can collaborate with Japanese partners and institutions.”

As well as running rock music-themed restaurant venues, Hard Rock Cafe International Inc includes a casino operating unit run by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. It was announced on Friday that Seminole HR Holdings LLC had won the right to a Republic of Cyprus casino licence alongside some consortium partners – including Asian casino investor and developer Melco International Development Ltd.

Macau casino developer Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd, in which Melco International is the largest single investor, had previously expressed interest about investing in a Japan casino scheme.

Japan last considered a version of the first-stage enabling legislation that would be necessary for any such venture – known as the Integrated Resorts Promotion Bill – in 2015.

The country’s legislature failed to proceed on the matter, amid other political distractions and some domestic opposition, including from Komeito, a Buddhist-influenced junior partner of the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Now the Nikkei news agency has reported the lower house of Japan’s Diet, or parliament, might debate casino legislation on Wednesday (November 9). The current extraordinary session of the Diet is due to run until late November.

A source in Japan told GGRAsia on Monday, referring to the cross-party lobby in support of legalisation: “We understand that the Integrated Resorts caucus will try to start to discuss it [the bill] in the lower house of the Diet on November 9 … Anyhow, it is required to pass not only in the lower house but also the upper house, so that we are still not sure if the bill would be passed by the Diet in this session.”

The proposal has nonetheless regained momentum, Hard Rock’s Mr Dodds told Bloomberg.

“The feeling we get is that this is more likely to happen now,” Mr Dodds said, adding he expected the Japanese casino market to be worth more than US$10 billion annually. “There’s more noise, there’s greater discussion in the commercial sector about how and when this will be realised.”

Sheldon Adelson, chairman and chief executive of casino operator Las Vegas Sands Corp, said on November 3 – in an earnings conference call for his firm – that he had been told there was “anywhere from 99 to 100 percent certainty that the bill is going to come up this Diet session”. The company has repeatedly expressed an interest in being involved in a casino project for a major Japanese city.

James Murren, chief executive of Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts International, said earlier this month that the company is willing to invest up to US$9.5 billion in Japan if casino gambling is legalised there. Mr Murren said MGM Resorts was mainly interested in a metropolitan area such as Tokyo, Yokohama or Osaka.

The question of legalising casino gaming in Japan appeared to be “back from the dead” following the strengthening of the LDP’s hand after the election in July for the House of Councillors – the upper chamber of the Japanese parliament – said a note that month from Union Gaming Securities Asia Ltd.


  • tweet
Related articles
  • Japan casino law passed likely 2H2018 earliest: Nomura
    Japan casino law passed likely 2H2018...

    Apr 04, 2018  

  • Japan casino GGR tax to be fixed at 30pct: reports
    Japan casino GGR tax to be fixed at...

    Apr 03, 2018  

More news
  • Macau police detain one local over crypto coin launch
    Macau police detain one local over...

    Apr 20, 2018  

  • Singapore govt touts gaming oversight consolidation
    Singapore govt touts gaming oversight...

    Apr 20, 2018  


Latest News

Macau police detain one local over crypto coin launch

Macau police detain one local over crypto coin launch

Apr 20, 2018  

Macau’s Judiciary Police said on Friday that a male Macau resident had been detained for alleged involvement in giving false information designed to attract public subscribers to a cryptocurrency...
Read More
Singapore govt touts gaming oversight consolidation

Singapore govt touts gaming oversight consolidation

Apr 20, 2018  

Plenty of likely suitors for Wynn Macau Ltd: Telsey

Plenty of likely suitors for Wynn Macau Ltd: Telsey

Apr 20, 2018  

Slideshow

Macau casinos celebrate Chinese New Year

Interviews

  • BMM prepped for Macau EGM regulation update: White
    BMM prepped for Macau EGM regulation update: White

    Jan 04, 2018  

    BMM Testlabs “ticks all the boxes” with regard to its...
  • Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam casino biz to watch: Klebanow
    Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam casino biz to watch: Klebanow

    Dec 08, 2017  

    The regulated casino industry is well versed in dealing...
  • Cloud services, e-Sports highlights of MGS 2017: Chun
    Cloud services, e-Sports highlights of MGS 2017: Chun

    Oct 23, 2017  

    The presence of some of the leading cloud computing...
  • Crunch time for Tokyo casino option: Caesars exec
    Crunch time for Tokyo casino option: Caesars exec

    Jul 11, 2017  

    The Tokyo local election setback for Japan’s governing...
  • Suncity bets on Vietnam, resurgent Macau VIP: Andrew Lo
    Suncity bets on Vietnam, resurgent Macau VIP: Andrew Lo

    Jul 06, 2017  

    A multibillion U.S. dollar casino project on Vietnam’s...

Pick of the Day

”We do not believe that reopening the advance notice nomination deadline [for board directors] is appropriate or justified”

Daniel Boone Wayson

Chairman of the Wynn Resorts board of directors



Most Popular

  • Wynn Macau seeks nod for share repurchase schemeWynn Macau seeks nod for share repurchase scheme April 19, 2018
  • Plenty of likely suitors for Wynn Macau Ltd: TelseyPlenty of likely suitors for Wynn Macau Ltd: Telsey April 20, 2018
  • Macau junkets counter crypto coin firm’s biz claimsMacau junkets counter crypto coin firm’s biz claims April 19, 2018

Copyright 2017 TEAM Publishing and Consultancy Ltd / All rights reserved
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us