Japan moved another step closer to legal casino gambling after the lower house of parliament approved casino legislation.

Japanese legislators approved the Integrated Resorts Promotion (IR) bill on Tuesday despite lingering concern among the bill’s supporters and a show of defiance by anti-gambling legislators.

The IR bill was sponsored by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which holds a majority in the Diet, but some LDP members abstained from voting on Tuesday, including Defense Secretary Gen. Nakatani, who complained about the “heavy-handed” way the bill was rushed through a Cabinet committee on Friday.

The main opposition Democratic Party, along with the Liberal Party and Social Democratic Party, staged a walkout before the vote as a sign of protest. Communist Party members opted to remain in the chamber and vote their displeasure.