The Japanese island prefecture of Hokkaido is continuing to contemplate a bid to build Japan’s second casino.
Development has already begun on the MGM Osaka, which will become the nation’s first integrated casino-resort (IR) when it opens its doors in 2030.
The Japanese government is keen to approve two more IR projects, but prefectures have thus far been cagey about their willingness to approve gambling facilities.
However, in recent months, Aichi and Hokkaido have indicated they may be prepared to submit bids before the government’s 2027 deadline.
Aichi’s plans are further along, with the province currently seeking developers and investors. But Hokkaido now looks like it is ready to start playing catch-up.
Hokkaido: Casino Bid Decision Still Uncertain
Hokkaido is the northernmost of Japan’s biggest islands. It is famous for its volcanoes, ski resorts, and hot springs. While Aichi’s plans center on the notion of turning the Chubu Centrair International Airport Island into a tourism hub, Hokkaido already enjoys this coveted status.
Last year, Hokkaido saw a record 12.82 million inbound visitors arrive on the island, representing a year-on-year rise of almost 30% on 2024 figures.
But 2024 was another bumper year for Hokkaido, marking a new post-pandemic high and another 44% year-on-year tourism rise.
Hokkaido officials first mulled an IR bid at the end of the last decade, discussing the city of Tomakomai as a possible site.
Tomakomai is located some 30 km south of New Chitose Airport and is already home to more than 21 major hotels and meeting, incentive, convention, and exhibition centers.
However, Hokkaido officials shelved the original plans in 2019, citing environmental concerns. Much like Aichi, however, officials have in recent months begun revisiting these proposals.
Revised Report: Critics Remain Unconvinced
The Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the Hokkaido Prefectural Government’s IR expert panel has now revised a report it made to the prefectural assembly in June.
The revised draft includes new measures created to address lawmakers’ objections to the plans.
These include new steps to prevent gambling addiction, should Hokkaido press ahead with an IR bid ahead of the 2027 deadline.
These include “strict entry control” protocols at the IR, new roles for a prospective casino management committee, and initiatives to connect individuals with counseling and treatment resources.
The expert panel presented its revised draft to lawmakers and other stakeholders at a meeting on July 16.
Critics, however, remain unsold on the idea.
Japan’s gambling addiction rates remain higher than the global average, claimed Noriko Tanaka, the head of the Tokyo-based anti-gambling NGO The Society Concerned About Gambling Addiction.
“Gambling addiction can lead to social problems such as suicide, crime, and the breakdown of family units,” said Tanaka. “The national and prefectural governments must create countermeasures to fight addiction before discussing the creation of gambling facilities.”
Attracting Rich Visitors: Hokkaido’s Plan
Other critics at the meeting suggested that the IR operator should foot the bill for all gambling addiction countermeasures in the prefectures.
Others still said they failed to understand the financial need for an IR in Hokkaido.
Stakeholders also called on Hokkaido to clarify their selection process for possible IR sites. The prefecture responded by saying it will make further amendments to its plan, which it will reveal at a prefectural assembly meeting in September.
The draft proposes creating a special-purpose company to operate the IR. It also says that Hokkaido-based firms should be part of a developer consortium.
The prefecture’s panel has also suggested that an IR would help boost tourism, bringing more “affluent individuals” to the island.
The panel has also spoken of creating a hotel complex with up to 2,800 rooms.
Between 2020 and 2022, Yokohama, Wakayama, and Miyagi prefectures all shelved their plans to submit a bid. And in 2023, the central government rejected a proposal from Nagasaki, expressing worries about financing plans and the track records of potential investors.
