• 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
  • Industry Talk
  • Trends & Tech
  • iGaming
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • RSS Feed
    • LinkedIn

Casinos Austria Japan unit shapes Nagasaki IR consortium

Jul 03, 2019 Newsdesk Japan, Latest News, Top of the deck  


Casinos Austria Japan unit shapes Nagasaki IR consortium

The Japan unit of global gaming operator Casinos Austria International told GGRAsia it is in the process of forming a consortium for a potential casino resort at Sasebo in Nagasaki prefecture. The experience of the Casinos Austria group in gaming operations in Europe, Egypt in North Africa, and in Australia, gave the brand confidence regarding its appeal in Japan, despite competition from other international operators for a casino permit in that country.

So said Akio Hayashi (pictured), Casinos Austria International Japan Inc’s chief executive, in an interview with us.

“We’re just in the beginning of the formation of a consortium,” Mr Hayashi said. He noted there were Japanese business partners in the likely consortium that were interested in “taking part in infrastructure support” for a possible casino complex, facilities referred to in Japan as integrated resorts or “IRs”. He declined to identify the prospective partners in the consortium.

Nagasaki prefecture is one of the “most advanced” regions in Japan in terms of garnering public support for the idea of hosting a casino resort, said the prefecture’s governor Hodo Nakamura at a seminar in Sasebo last week, called Kyushu-Nagasaki IR Business Connect.  A maximum of three licences are to be issued in Japan in a first phase of market liberalisation.

A 30-hectare [74-acre] site at the Huis Ten Bosch amusement park in Sasebo city, is the preferred location of the local-government authorities in the Nagasaki area. Several companies – including foreign casino firms - made pitches during the Kyushu-Nagasaki IR Business Connect seminar on why they would respectively make a good choice as commercial partner for a casino venture locally.

Casinos Austria’s Mr Hayashi said the group was also considering the locally-preferred location and wanted – as a complement to a casino – to create an IR with a large-scale facility for music performance, a spa, and facilities for medical tourism business.

Mr Hayashi mentioned during his presentation at the Sasebo seminar that Casinos Austria intended to work with high-profile Japanese architect Kengo Kuma – creator of the new national stadium to be used for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics – in Casino Austria’s architectural design for its desired Nagasaki IR.

The executive said that in relation to responsible management of casino gambling – a focus of Japanese lawmakers and much-discussed among the public – the parent firm was already abiding by “strict regulations”, in the regulated markets where it operates.

Mr Hayashi remarked to us: “Since we have experience in fitting with all those different environments and cultures, we are confident that those experiences would work for the Japan bid as well.” The group envisaged the casino would have VIP gaming as well as the mass-market sort, he added.


  • tweet
Related articles
  • CBRE involved in funding work for Nagasaki IR: reports
    CBRE involved in funding work for...

    Apr 14, 2022  

  • Bally’s eyes Fukuoka, hopeful of new round of IR bids
    Bally’s eyes Fukuoka, hopeful of new...

    Mar 31, 2022  

More news
  • Foreign tourists can get S.Korean peninsula visa from June 1
    Foreign tourists can get S.Korean...

    May 20, 2022  

  • Crown Resorts’ shareholders nod Blackstone bid
    Crown Resorts’ shareholders nod...

    May 20, 2022  


Latest News

Foreign tourists can get S.Korean peninsula visa from June 1

Foreign tourists can get S.Korean peninsula visa from June 1

May 20, 2022  

South Korea on Thursday said it would from June 1 resume issuing short-term tourism visas for trips to the country’s mainland, for individual visitors and groups of tourists. Permits for...
Read More
Crown Resorts’ shareholders nod Blackstone bid

Crown Resorts’ shareholders nod Blackstone bid

May 20, 2022  

JP Morgan ups Aristocrat profit forecast 8pct for FY2022

JP Morgan ups Aristocrat profit forecast 8pct for FY2022

May 20, 2022  

Sign up to our FREE Newsletter

UB8V5.qr.16(Click here for more)

Pick of the Day

”[Revenue at Okada Manila] will be around 80 percent of the pre-pandemic level in 2022 before recovering almost fully in 2023"

Satoru Aoyama, Akash Gupta and Kalai Pillay

Analysts at credit rating agency Fitch



Most Popular

  • Foreign tourists can get S.Korean peninsula visa from June 1Foreign tourists can get S.Korean peninsula visa from June 1 May 20, 2022
  • Crown Resorts’ shareholders nod Blackstone bidCrown Resorts’ shareholders nod Blackstone bid May 20, 2022
  • Wynn CEO, Macau execs in base pay cut in return for sharesWynn CEO, Macau execs in base pay cut in return for shares May 17, 2022
  • Andrew Lo takes controlling stake in Suncity, Summit AscentAndrew Lo takes controlling stake in Suncity, Summit Ascent May 19, 2022
Copyright 2014-2022 TEAM Publishing and Consultancy Ltd / All rights reserved
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us