GGRAsia – Japan flags US$24mln for casino commission 2025 budget

Japan’s cabinet has agreed in principle the 2025 budget draft of the Japan Casino Regulatory Commission. Usually, the budget is ratified in the first calendar-quarter by the country’s parliament, the Diet, according to GGRAsia’s Japan correspondent.

The commission’s 2025 budget amount is JPY3.71 billion (US$23.5 million), flat relative to the JPY3.70 billion allocated in the 2024 budget.

Japan’s first and so far only casino resort, the JPY1.27-trillion MGM Osaka, is due to open in late 2030. Work on the main-building area is due to start in April this year, according to a recent report.

The Japan Casino Regulatory Commission started in financial year 2023, work on implementation of licence-examination and other casino regulation.

For the commission’s 2025 budget, JPY2.26 billion has been earmarked for personnel and operational costs, a rise of JPY30 million year-on-year.

Costs within the 2025 budget to establish an organisation to supervise casino operators and to establish relationships with overseas regulatory bodies amount to JPY630 million, flat year-on-year.

There is also for this year, JPY220 million for costs to conduct suitability checks for granting casino licences and examination of casino equipment.

There is additionally JPY540 million – unchanged from 2024 – to develop information technology systems needed for the operation of the body. That amount is covered by the country’s Digital Agency”, a governmental unit set up in 2021 to advance digitalisation in the Japanese economy.

The number of staff for the casino commission in the financial year 2025 budget plan is 167, unchanged from 2024.

On December 17, the Diet approved the names of three people – one a reappointment – proposed by the national government to join the Japan Casino Regulatory Commission.

The terms of the new commission members will start on Tuesday (January 7), according to information reviewed by GGRAsia’s Japan correspondent.