The sharp drop in approval ratings is causing some members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) coalition partner, Komeito, to be wary of moving Japan’s casino plans forward.

After enacting the Integrated Resorts (IR) Promotion bill in December, Japanese lawmakers are currently working on the second piece of legislation—the IR Implementation bill—which will contain all of the necessary details needed for a casino resort development, including how casinos are regulated, the number of licenses issued, and the taxation regime that will be applied.

Japanese legislators, however, appear unsure about their prospects for pushing the IR Implementation bill through the Diet, given the Japanese public’s unease regarding the effect of casino gambling on a population already struggling with problem gamblers who can’t handle the nation’s pachinko parlors.

Low approval ratings