• 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

Japan casino headwind as Abe fortunes wane: analyst

Jul 24, 2017 Newsdesk Japan, Latest News, Top of the deck  


Japan casino headwind as Abe fortunes wane: analyst

Recent local election results and an opinion poll suggesting a decline in public support for Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (pictured) “could easily create a headwind” regarding parliamentary passage this year of legislation for creation of a casino industry, says a gaming sector analyst.

“Continued negative coverage of the Abe administration, coupled with political losses for the Liberal Democratic Party (i.e., Tokyo assembly and Sendai mayoral elections) may reduce support for the gaming agenda, which already has only limited public support,” stated Vitaly Umansky of brokerage Sanford C. Bernstein Ltd, in an emailed reply to a question from GGRAsia on possible shifts in Japan’s political climate.

Reuters news agency said in a Sunday report that a poll published that day in the politically centre-left newspaper Mainichi Shimbun – from responses gathered from the public on July 22 and 23 – indicated support for Mr Abe had slipped 10 points, to 26 percent. The survey also indicated that 56 percent of respondents did not back his government – a 12-point rise from a previous survey in June. The governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is politically centre-right.

While it is common for democratic political parties controlling national governments to experience setbacks in local elections held in mid-term, gaming analysts have noted that the emphasis in Japan on reaching cross-party consensus when taking major political decisions could be an impediment to two pieces of legislation necessary for formalising the central government’s casino policy.

One of the bills will contain measures to tackle gambling addiction, and might be announced in draft form in August for public consultation, officials said in June.

Then, under a best-case scenario, another draft statute, the Integrated Resort (IR) Implementation Bill, might be passed by the country’s parliament in the 2017 extraordinary session starting in the autumn, suggested a note in May from banking group Morgan Stanley.

Union Gaming Securities Asia Ltd had said in a July 5 note that the LDP’s losses in the Tokyo local election at the start of July might have made it harder for Mr Abe to get the consensus needed to pass in parliament the implementation bill. That was followed this Sunday by a win for an independent candidate – backed by the opposition Democratic Party – in the race for the mayoralty of Sendai.

Some analysts and industry commentators have noted that should there be any moves by the Japanese authorities to discourage or even bar locals from gambling in Japanese casino resorts – in order to calm public fears about gambling addiction among Japanese – it might mean the resorts would depend for revenue on Chinese tourists, and the maintenance of good political relations between China and Japan.

On July 17 Union Gaming said in a note: “It is imperative that an IR operator [in Japan] has the stability and visibility offered by a strong locals contribution to gaming revenue. Without this key and dependable segment, the fortunes of the IRs in Japan will have a disproportionately large weighting towards China government policy.”

Sanford Bernstein’s Mr Umansky noted in his comments to GGRAsia: “The other geopolitical risk that has resurfaced is North Korea. Further escalation of tensions, may also reduce political support [in Japan] to get gaming legislation passed quickly, as the political situation refocuses its [the Japanese government’s] energies.”


  • tweet
Related articles
  • Japan govt may nod Osaka IR plan within January: MP
    Japan govt may nod Osaka IR plan within...

    Dec 23, 2022  

  • Osaka prefecture nods draft gambling addiction ordinance
    Osaka prefecture nods draft gambling...

    Oct 27, 2022  

More news
  • Macau March GGR up 247pct y-o-y, to US$1.6bln: govt
    Macau March GGR up 247pct y-o-y, to...

    Apr 01, 2023  

  • Some Macau hotels say no rooms vacant 3 days of Easter
    Some Macau hotels say no rooms vacant 3...

    Mar 31, 2023  


Latest News

Macau March GGR up 247pct y-o-y, to US$1.6bln: govt

Macau March GGR up 247pct y-o-y, to US$1.6bln: govt

Apr 01, 2023  

Macau’s casino gross gaming revenue (GGR) was up 246.9 percent year-on-year in March, to just under MOP12.74 billion (US$1.58 billion). The March tally was up 23.4 percent month-on-month,...
Read More
Some Macau hotels say no rooms vacant 3 days of Easter

Some Macau hotels say no rooms vacant 3 days of Easter

Mar 31, 2023  

Macau 2023 GGR at 45pct of pre-Covid level: Moody’s

Macau 2023 GGR at 45pct of pre-Covid level: Moody’s

Mar 31, 2023  

Sign up to our FREE Newsletter

UB8V5.qr.16(Click here for more)

Pick of the Day

”Efforts have pivoted to the construction of the hotel tower, with plans to launch a soft opening before the end of 2024 and a grand opening in 2025”

Casino investor LET Group

On the development of a casino hotel in Manila, the Philippine capital



Most Popular

  • Some Macau hotels say no rooms vacant 3 days of EasterSome Macau hotels say no rooms vacant 3 days of Easter March 31, 2023
  • Macau 2023 GGR at 45pct of pre-Covid level: Moody’sMacau 2023 GGR at 45pct of pre-Covid level: Moody’s March 31, 2023
  • Macau March GGR up 247pct y-o-y, to US$1.6bln: govtMacau March GGR up 247pct y-o-y, to US$1.6bln: govt April 1, 2023
  • LET Group narrows year loss, Manila site open end 2024LET Group narrows year loss, Manila site open end 2024 March 31, 2023
  • Japan govt delays IR decision due to local elections: reportJapan govt delays IR decision due to local elections: report March 30, 2023
Copyright 2014-2023 TEAM Publishing and Consultancy Ltd / All rights reserved
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us