Japanese casinos are a step closer to reality after a legislative committee approved a casino study bill, strengthening the odds of approval by the full legislature before the end of the year.

On Friday, the House of Representatives Cabinet committee passed the so-called Integrated Resorts Promotion (IR) bill, which seeks to amend Japan’s constitution to remove a prohibition on casino gambling. The bill is a necessary precursor to a future bill that would spell out the nuts and bolts of casino licensing and regulation.

Committee members belonging to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) voted in favor of the bill, while two of three members of the LDP’s coalition partner Komeito voted against the legislation. Komeito, a party with strong Buddhist ties, has traditionally opposed loosening restrictions on gambling activity.

Kyodo News reported that, as of Thursday, Komeito’s rank and file members were officially undecided on whether to support the IR bill. The decision was therefore left up to the party’s leaders, who announced Friday that they wouldn’t protest the committee’s IR bill vote.