Japan’s legalised gambling

Author: Simon Dexter

Japan is the latest economy to appreciate how much legalised gambling can do for its tourist industry.

With the nation keen to expand the number of visitors visiting the islands, the Liberal Democratic Party has put legislation in place to liberalise its gambling laws.

The move comes as similar laws in Singapore will allow more tourists to spend an evening playing poker, roulette or keno.

In an interesting move, the government is believed to be thinking about making local people pay a fee to enter the casino in order to discourage lower earning gamblers from using the facilities, although tourists would get in for free.

The new gambling initiative comes as Japan faces a declining population and the resultant decline in tax revenues. The new casinos are seen as a way of revitalising economic blackspots – similar to the way the super casinos where supposed to help rundown areas of the UK.

It is hoped Japan can attract tourists from nearby China and Russia who are both experiencing relative economic booms.

Meanwhile, the man behind the success of Macau’s booming casino business, (it recently surpassed Las Vegas in revenues) Stanley Ho, has been in the news for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, the billionaire has paid nearly £1 million for an Imperial throne which went up for auction recently in Hong Kong.

Ho, 85, made the winning bid by phone for the five-panel, gilt-incised, lacquer throne dating from the reign of the Qing Dynasty emperor Kangxi.

The throne is expected to make its way to one of Ho’s casinos in Macau from where the tycoon amassed most of his wealth having been awarded a casino monopoly in the 1960s.

Ho, who was awarded an OBE by Margaret Thatcher for his philanthropy, next made the news after giving the single biggest cash award to Oxford University.

He has donated £2.5 million for improving Chinese history research and teaching at Pembroke College.

Oxford University’s press release described him as “Dr Ho”, although it is believed he is a Hong Kong University dropout. His spokeswoman said that he was forced to give up his studies by the Japanese occupation but was awarded an honorary doctorate by Macau University in 1984.

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