Japan casinos to limit locals to 3 visits per week, 10 per month

Japan’s gamblers could face strict limits on their ability to access casinos under a new proposal submitted by the government this week.

On Thursday, the Japan Times reported that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior coalition partner Komeito were advancing a plan that would limit local residents to three casino visits per week, and no more than 10 visits every 28 days.

The rules would apply to Japanese nationals and foreigners living in Japan, while international tourists would be exempt. The authorities would monitor casino visitation by requiring local residents to present their government-issued My Number identity cards to gain access to the casino floor.

The government also wants to cap the maximum area of any integrated resort’s gaming floor at 15k-square-meters or a maximum 3% of the resort’s total footprint. This restriction mimics the maximum area allotted to Singapore’s two integrated resorts, which Japan’s legislators have long cited as a model for their own plans.