The Motley Fool – Japanese gaming will likely be the biggest topic in the gaming world in 2014. The one obstacle in the way, however, is the fact that casinos are still forbidden in the country. The government will vote on legislation in the coming months that will decide whether or not casinos will be allowed to begin building in Japan. Analysts expect that if the country allows casinos, it could beat out Singapore to become the second-largest gambling hub in the world, behind Macau.
After winning its bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan immediately started looking at how the games would be funded. The government, which had already been toying with the idea of legalizing casinos, said that it would like to use gaming revenue to fund part of the cost of the 2020 Games.
Because of this, and because the bill is supported by both major government parties, the general consensus is that Japan will vote to pass the legislation which will allow casinos. Analysts expect that four licenses total will be awarded in Tokyo and Osaka.
