Japan is looking to reopen the bidding process for integrated resort (IR) casino licenses. It first legalized these properties in 2018, but ultimately only awarded one of three available permits in 2023. MGM Resorts International was the successful applicant and has now broken ground on its $9bn casino resort in Osaka.
will be starting a new round of applications between May and November 2027
The Japan Tourism Agency confirmed on Wednesday that it will start a new round of applications between May and November 2027. One of the projects that initially showed promise before being derailed was a bid involving Hard Rock International in Hokkaido.
Endangered bird habitats were identified on the proposed site, which led the prefecture to withdraw from the process, as it didn’t have sufficient time to find an alternative site.
Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki said in August that lawmakers are once again considering an IR as a way to boost investment and tourism in the region. Other casino companies that withdrew at various points through the original process included Genting, Melco Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, and Wynn Resorts.
