News analysis

Japan ready to bet the house with green light for Osaka casino

An artist's impression of the Osaka integrated resort. Japan gave the green light for the project on April 14. PHOTO: MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL AND ORIX CORPORATION
The project, driven by Las Vegas’ MGM International and Osaka’s Orix Corporation, is targeting 520 billion yen (S$5.2 billion) in annual revenue. PHOTO: MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL AND ORIX CORPORATION
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TOKYO – Three integrated resort (IR) licences up for grabs, two applications. But on Friday, there was just one winner.

Osaka, the largest city in western Japan’s Kansai region, won the country’s first approval to build a casino in a development that was never in doubt once political opposition was overcome.

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