Part V: Regional & Cultural · Asia-Pacific Regional Terms

5.5 Japan IR (Integrated Resort)

Japan — Regulatory/Legal

An Integrated Resort in Japan refers to large-scale resort complexes that include casinos, hotels, convention facilities, shopping, entertainment, and other amenities. After decades of legislative debate, Japan legalized casino gambling through the Integrated Resort Implementation Act (IR Act) in 2018. Osaka’s Yumeshima Island project, a joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Orix Corp, was approved in April 2023 as Japan’s first IR, with an initial investment of 1.8 trillion yen ($13.5 billion) and a planned opening by 2029. Nagasaki and Wakayama have also pursued IR bids, though some jurisdictions have withdrawn due to local opposition.

In practice

Japan’s IR legislation includes some of the world’s most restrictive casino regulations, including a casino floor size limit, entry fees for Japanese citizens (JPY 6,000), visit frequency limits (three times per week, ten times per month), and an exclusion order system modeled on Singapore’s NCPG framework.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.