Doubts cannot be dispelled about opening casinos in the expectation of economic benefits without looking squarely at the adverse effects and risks involved in gambling.
The government is promoting efforts to draft a bill on the operation of integrated resort (IR) facilities, legislation aimed at stipulating a specific system for regulating casinos. It aims to pass the bill in the current Diet session, thereby making it possible to open casinos during the 2020s.
The draft bill shown to the ruling parties would limit admission to casinos by Japanese nationals and foreign residents in this country, not only to three times over a seven-day period but also to 10 times over a 28-day period. An entry fee of 2,000 yen would also be collected each time.
Casinos are places where games are played repeatedly throughout the night in lavish rooms, with large sums of money won and lost. Casino games are more addictive than horse racing, pachinko and others. It will be difficult to thoroughly prevent addiction through regulations with the level of strictness as those in the bill.
Government efforts to legalize casinos have been backed by the Liberal Democratic Party, Nippon Ishin no Kai and others. Their aim is to cultivate demand for tourism and use casinos as a catalyst for regional development.
The Osaka prefectural government and the Osaka city government are aiming to realize the IR scheme, combined with efforts to invite the 2025 World Exposition to be held in their region, which is Ishin no Kai's home territory.
However, there appear to be certain risks involved in resort facilities whose main feature is a casino.
Vital to prevent addiction
To begin with, a growth strategy that depends on the wasteful use of money by customers addicted to gambling cannot be described as wholesome.
To achieve sustainable tourism promotion, surefooted efforts must be made to utilize the appeal of each region, such as its townscapes, food and traditional performing arts.
The government's draft bill states that business operators and equipment manufacturers who apply to open casinos would be subject to inquiries regarding their hitherto background information, such as their financial condition, their company officials' litigation records, and relations with their acquaintances. The costs of research into these issues would be covered by the people seeking to set up casinos.
This is aimed at blocking members of criminal elements, by establishing strict standards for entry into the business.
The research will be conducted by a casino supervision commission to be established as an affiliate of the Cabinet Office.
That is an unprecedented task. Efforts must be made to require people involved in the business to provide a wide range of information, and then analyze it to determine whether they are qualified to open casinos. Doing so will require securing a large number of researchers with highly specialized expertise. It is highly questionable whether the effectiveness of the research can be secured.
There is also the dilemma that if limits are set on customers and control of the people involved in the business is increased, casinos cannot be operated at a profit. Discussions on the matter by the government seem to have reached a dead end.
The number of adults suspected of being addicted to existing gambling games is estimated at about 3.2 million nationwide. The situation cannot be overlooked.
The government should promote efforts to deal with the problem in a comprehensive manner, combining efforts to prevent addiction from occurring and provide medical and other assistance to addicts.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 27, 2018)
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