The dates of the 2018 Japan Gaming Congress (JgC) have been confirmed, with the conference set to be held at Conrad Tokyo on 10 and 11 May 2018.
The JgC returns for a third time after a hugely successful 2017 which was buoyed by the passing of the IR Promotion Bill last December. With the gambling addiction bill and IR Implementation Bill expected to pass within the first half of 2018, the JgC looms as the year’s most significant event of its type.
The conference will see an enhanced presence by key Japanese authorities, including figures from the central government and a wide variety of prefectures. Previous attendance included key members of Japan’s Leading Democratic Party (LDP) as well as officials from Hokkaido, Osaka, Wakayama, Nagasaki and traditionally non-gaming companies including Hakkasan, JP Morgan, KPMG Japan, Goldman Sachs Tokyo and the Ministry of Economy & Finance.
Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited, Caesars Entertainment, Group Barrière and JCM Global are among the sponsors to have confirmed their participation.
“With Japanese IRs nearing as an investment reality, there has never been a more exciting time to participate in the Japan Gaming Congress,” said Melco Resorts Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho. “We are very happy to return to this important forum and deepen our dialogue with local business partners and the industry at large, and with them, pioneering the future of entertainment in Japan.”
The 2018 conference will focus on a variety of topics, including updates to the anticipated legislation including bills related to gambling addiction and general IR regulation.
The event will also focus on setting realistic expectations on the impacts of the IR industry on local communities, including tracks related to business (procurement), non-gaming entertainment amenities, legal and other topics of considerable interest to attendees.
Clarion Gaming’s Rory Credland said, “We are excited to bring the Japan Gaming Congress back for its third year running. The success of the last two events, coupled with the most recent election updates in Japan, show that the event continues to drive heavy interest from attendees both domestically in Japan and abroad within the gaming industry.
“We look forward to a conference full of valuable discussions from both industry and government leaders as Japan looks forward to the future of IR development and entertainment within the country.”