Japanese Integrate Resorts A Thing Of The Past

News on Japans integrated resort future is a little thin on the ground, most recently Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox said that Wynn are still interested in Japan. However many close to the business believe that MGM Resorts has Osaka locked up as the only certain resort to get a license and most likely Mohegan Gaming for Nagasaki.

It is widely expected only three licenses will be issued and that could leave Wynn fighting it out in possibly Wakayama with the other casino operators still left standing.

The whole integrated resort business in Japan has fallen flat on its face, only a couple of years ago all the US and Macau operators were falling over themselves to offer the Japanese government $10 billion resorts, that has now dwindled down to just a few left.

All the excitement originally was to build before the 2020 Olympic Games, but with the global pandemic postponing that idea till this year and arguments and delays in legalising casinos in Japan many operators have said they are pulling out.

Indeed only recently Groupe Barrière the European casino operator has now left the table for licensing applications in Japan.

A mixture of delay, restrictions and the pandemic have taken the shine off integrated resorts in Japan with many now believing more delays will happen and eventually see the cancellation of casino resorts altogether.