MGM Resorts International has recently partnered with the Oryx company of Japan. Why? To initiate a 9 billion dollar casino resort that will open in Osaka. This new development speaks to a plan many years in the making to expand casino resorts into Japan. The commercial casino industry has grown significantly over the last decade reaching a total of $227 billion dollars. The brick-and-mortar industry is combating the competition from online gambling by constructing top-of-the-line casino resorts that offer an all-inclusive, customizable
vacation opportunity.
Japan’s New Casino Resort Features
This particular location will include:
- a casino,
- multiple hotels,
- restaurants,
- a wide range of entertainment options for guests
If that wasn’t appealing enough, this will be one of the only large-scale planned casino resort projects in the country. MGM dubs it an IR for “integrated resort”. Japanese integrated resorts will provide an opportunity to attract gambling enthusiasts from all over the world. Casino resorts are adapting to the new demands by offering sophisticated touchless technology so that simple processes like checking into a hotel are made easier. Voice commands offer opportunities for visitors to activate different services all in a hygienic and tech-focused fashion. Keyless access using smartphones makes it simple for visitors to get into their room, entry through the doors of VIP lounges, and much more.
Facial recognition has been integrated in many casinos and resorts but is now being added to the reward system. As players from all over the world head to Japan to capitalize on these planned casino resorts, they will utilize facial recognition to get rewards every time they play without having to remember to take their card out of each machine, as well as order drinks on demand and overall enjoy a more personalized experience.
Why is Japan Only Now Opening a Casino Resort?
The world of comprehensive casino resorts has been previously limited to popular cities like Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Those brave enough to travel internationally might make their way to Monte Carlo or even head over to Macau, but now Japan is offering visitors the opportunity to expand their gambling vacation destinations to other areas of Asia.
So how did it happen? In 2018, Japan legalized casinos making it possible for organizations like MGM and Las Vegas Sands to construct casino resorts. For Japan, it’s a matter of economic sense. MGM Resorts International as well as Las Vegas Sands Corporation have made it clear that they would spend up to 10 billion dollars on each location where they are allowed to construct a comprehensive integrated casino resort in Japan.
The Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe is working to boost tourism in the country and help stimulate economic growth, two things that can be easily achieved by opening the doors to legalized gambling in a safe and entertaining fashion. Moreover, this will not only increase tourism but supply the areas in question with a great deal more employment opportunities, potentially generating upwards of two billion dollars every year for each casino that is constructed.
Previously, lotteries were legalized as were bets on things like bicycle races and horse races but it’s not until now that full casinos have been allowed to operate in the country meaning companies like MGM in Las Vegas Sands corporation which get in on the ground floor will literally be pioneers in the industry when it comes to Japan.
Will There Be More Japanese Resorts Planned for the Future?
Right now this particular partnership is the only group actively engaged in developing a casino resort in Japan. New information shows that these planned resorts are not necessarily set in stone for Osaka. The Japanese government is responsible for picking the location for construction although Osaka is one of the main options on the list.
Other popular locations include Nagasaki, Hokkaido, and Wakayama. There has been a suggestion for a casino in Tokyo but this proposal remains informal. It’s important to remember that these particular resorts are going to be more comprehensive than one would get in most other places, complete with hotels, shopping centers, entertainment centers, casinos, and restaurants.
Given the efforts and financial investments by MGM and Las Vegas Sands Corporation, within the next decade, there will likely be a number of successfully completed integrated casino resorts for tourists from all over the world who want to get a taste of Asian culture blended with the shopping opportunities of Japan and the gambling opportunities of an MGM casino. The Las Vegas Strip is soon to be much more international.
