Japan proposes casino entry fee of ¥2000 (US$18.50) for locals

Japan has unveiled details of its plans to impose a casino entry fee that will apply not only to locals but to foreign residents as well.

On Wednesday, Japanese media reported that a task force overseeing the drafting of the Integrated Resorts (IR) Implementation Bill wants to impose a fee of ¥2k (US$18.50) on Japanese residents wishing to set foot on the gaming floor of the casinos Japan hopes to open five or six years from now.

The fee will be mandatory for all permanent residents of the country, be they citizens of Japan or some other nation. International tourists will be exempt from the fee and casinos will be prohibited from reimbursing gamblers for their fees paid.

The fee is intended to help fund problem gambling mitigation programs, and to monitor Japanese citizens’ casino activity. All local residents will be required to present their My Number identification card before setting foot on a casino floor.