Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has proposed charging residents a ¥2,000 fee, equivalent to US$19, to enter the nation’s casinos. According to reports by local media, the fee would apply to all Japanese residents regardless of nationality but would not be charged to foreign tourists.
The plan was presented to lawmakers by the LDP on Wednesday as the government prepares to submit its final IR Implementation Bill to the Diet in the coming months, possibly as soon as March.
It was revealed earlier this week that the government is also considering limiting the total area covered by any single integrated resort to 15,000 square meters and the casino space to 3% of total floor space. Another measure on the table is a tax rate of 30% for annual revenue up to ¥300 billion (US$2.8 billion), rising to 50% for annual revenue of between ¥400 billion and ¥500 billion (US$4.7 billion).
Under the proposed ¥2,000 entry fee, casino operators would not be allowed to provide any discounts to customers, with proceeds to be used to fund initiatives to combat problem gambling.
It has been reported that there remains considerable disagreement within LDP party ranks over the ¥2,000 entry fee, with some wanting it scrapped altogether and others calling for it to be increased.
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