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Japan’s Long and Arduous Journey from Restricted to Regulated Casino Market

Evan Reid

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17 Jul 2017
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Hi everyone,

I work for an online magazine and my team and I prepared a report about the current state of gambling in Japan. For those interested, you can read the report here.

What is your opinion on the subject? Do you agree that Japan should start to regulate gambling activities and stablise the economy of the country? Or you fear that gambling addiction will become a big issue.

I would be really interested to read your opinion on the subject and perhaps include it in another report.
 
Good report, nicely done. Japan's economic concerns are partially demographic, so I believe allowing and regulating casinos will have a very small and perhaps even temporary effect on the economy. As you pointed out in your article, Japan already has gambling, so the addition of casinos doesn't bother me - especially if it is like Korea or Singapore, where the casinos are regulated so strictly that they are almost boring compared to the world outside.
I would be worried about addiction - so the choices framed in your question are not entirely mutually exclusive. I mean, if Japan wants to eliminate gambling addiction, they are going to be forced to do something about the pachinko industry, and horse, boat, motorcycle, bicycle racing industries as well. On the other hand, I'm not sure about the measures mentioned in the article: restrict the number of entries, or number of times of bets...hmmm. Entries is one thing, and could make sense. Number of bets seems impossible to enforce without making gambling even more boring above and beyond Korea's super-boring casinos. Removing ATMs...I think that will force high-rollers to bring huge wads of cash. Doesn't sound like much of a fix, but I haven't read up on the details.
So, sorry for the contradictions. I don't hate the idea of casinos, but at the same time I am not oblivious to the problems of gambling. There are some solutions out there. I don't know which is the best one.
 
Overall the article is badly in need of an editor; the writing is atrocious. Hard to believe this was written by a native English speaker.

As for content - far too many points to list here, but just one or two:
:
It is reported that pachinko contributes to more than 4% of the country's GDP on an annual basis
First, 'it is reported' is lazy writing. At the very least provide a source.

Secondly - the total amount of money spent on pachinko may be equivalent to 4% of GDP. That is not necessarily the same thing as 'contributing' 4% to GDP. Revenues for a company can not automatically be directly compared to GDP. GDP is the measure of the value of goods and services produced. The price of something may (or may not) equal the 'value' created. If you work in a store and your store sells a second-hand refrigerator, that sale is revenue for the store - but it's not included in GDP; the sale didn't create a new refrigerator. However, any commission etc. on the sale *would* be included - you (your store) provided a service.

tighten the belt even more, the Diet is even considering to prohibit the installation of ATMs in the casino resorts. In that way, the players cannot run into significant debts, as they will not be able to get more cash, when they run out of money.
Players can't just go outside the casino and withdraw more money? Casinos won't take credit / debit cards?

More to the point, restricting access and removing ATMs etc are exactly the kind of measures that will kill any chance of the casinos helping turn Japan into a 'lucrative tourist destination'. Casinos have to be an experience. Yes, you can lose money - you lose money in just about any activity or experience outside of work. Going to a movie, going out for dinner, playing golf or tennis - going to a casino can be similiar to any of those things, with the added thrill of (potentially) leaving with more than you came with. Casinos need to focus on offering a fun time, so that people are happy to spend some money as an activity. The more Japan tries to 'prevent gambling addiction' the less fun and more of a chore it become, in which case the only people going to the casino are.... you know, people with a gambling addiction.

Can't have it both ways. Either have the casinos with the understanding that it *will* destroy lives, accepting that as a trade-off for the tax and tourist revenues they will bring in (which could be used for a lot of good, it should be noted), or don't have the casinos at all.
 
I've always felt the "casino scene" brought in a false economy. And for the most part, these days people go to them for the entertainment that the casinos bring in, like live music shows, fine restaurants and other amusements even for the kids.
 
It's not even 'these days' - casinos have always had shows and such. The longer the casino can keep you in town (ie, the slower you lose your money at the gaming tables) the more money you're likely to spend overall including at restaurants and such.
 
It's not even 'these days' - casinos have always had shows and such. The longer the casino can keep you in town (ie, the slower you lose your money at the gaming tables) the more money you're likely to spend overall including at restaurants and such.

I've only been inside a casino 2 times and it was years ago. In Alantic city , New Jersey, I read that some of the casinos have closed down. I think for the most part if casinos are brought into this country, we'll end up seeing more part time (no future) type of employment. Not good for the health of this nation. Here's a little article I just came across, nothing to do with this subject, but employment and Japan's low birth rate.

Japan's sex problem might be due to the gig economy | The Independent
 
Ah, yes. Another 'Japanese don't have sex' article.

Germany's birth rate has generally been lower than Japan's since the 1970's.
Where are all the 'Germans not having sex' articles?
 
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