Japanese lawmakers have submitted a bill to the Japanese Parliament which would legalize casinos in Japan. The bill, which apparently has cross party support, including from Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is the culmination of recent momentum prompted by the 2020 Olympics being awarded to Tokyo.

It has been speculated that Japan will follow the same path as Singapore – authorizing large, multi-billion dollar integrated resorts, with strict regulatory requirements. That would likely entail some type of competitive, RFP type process for selection of the casino licenses to be located in Tokyo and Osaka. It has further been speculated that most proposals may involve Japanese companies as local partners teaming up with experienced, global integrated casino resorts developers such as Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Genting Singapore and Melco Crown.

Given the likely scale of the projects and relatively tight timeline to have the casinos ready for 2020 and the Olympics, the bill could be passed in the next session of Japanese parliament's legislative session, which would be the first half of 2014. This would be the most significant expansion in the global gaming industry since Singapore's casinos opened in 2010.

This article is for general information and does not include full legal analysis of the matters presented. It should not be construed or relied upon as legal advice or legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. The description of the results of any specific case or transaction contained herein does not mean or suggest that similar results can or could be obtained in any other matter. Each legal matter should be considered to be unique and subject to varying results. The invitation to contact the authors or attorneys in our firm is not a solicitation to provide professional services and should not be construed as a statement as to any availability to perform legal services in any jurisdiction in which such attorney is not permitted to practice.

Duane Morris LLP, a full-service law firm with more than 700 attorneys in 24 offices in the United States and internationally, offers innovative solutions to the legal and business challenges presented by today's evolving global markets. Duane Morris LLP, a full-service law firm with more than 700 attorneys in 24 offices in the United States and internationally, offers innovative solutions to the legal and business challenges presented by today's evolving global markets. The Duane Morris Institute provides training workshops for HR professionals, in-house counsel, benefits administrators and senior managers.