It is expected that Japanese lawmakers will indefinitely postpone the legalisation of casinos.
This would be a major blow to global operators seeking a foothold in what was expected to become the world’s third-biggest casino gaming market.
The bill has hit problems since the resignation of two of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet ministers. The scandals have reduced the political leverage of Abe, who was pushing hard for the bill to boost tourism.
Pro-casino lawmakers intend to push back a vote on the bill instead of trying to pass it in the current parliamentary session. Although they aim to keep the bill on the table, there is a chance it would not come up for discussion even in 2015.
The delay crushes any chance of opening an integrated resort in Japan in time to capitalise on an expected flood of visitors for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The bill has also faced opposition from lawmakers concerned about the impact of problem gambling and organised crime, with some pushing for any eventual casinos to be open to foreigners only. Such a move already threatened to derail the level of foreign investment that had been expected.
