The Japanese government could limit the number of times its citizens are allowed to enter Japan’s casinos in a measure aimed at preventing gambling addiction.
The plan, as reported by The Yomiuri Shimbun, would require locals to show their My Number identification cards, which are embedded with IC chips and carry various ID information. The My Number identification system was rolled out last year and is aimed at reducing the risk of ID theft as well as linking personal information such as social security and tax details in one place.
If the My Number plan is implemented, it would see the government cap the number of weekly and monthly visits allowed with the details of the cap to be determined at a later date. Anyone declared as a gambling addict either by themselves or a family member would be denied entry, as would anyone under the age of 20 or with known organized crime links.
Although yet to be finalized, the visitation cap was a topic of discussion at a meeting of the IR Experts Committee – the group tasked with putting together a list of recommendations for the IR Implementation Bill – on Tuesday.
If it goes ahead, the plan would involve the creation of a Casino Control Commission, independent of the Cabinet Office, to work with operators in managing the system.
The government is also contemplating banning casinos from placing advertisements outside of the integrated resort zones.
