The Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe has given his support and the country’s commitment to passing the Integrated Resorts Implementation Bill (IRIB) into law this month.
Abe, the head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Natsuo Yamaguchi, head of the Komeito coalition party released a joint statement declaring the bill would go ahead.
On June 19, 2018, the lower chamber, which is the House of Representative, passed the IRIB despite some latter opposition.
The Japanese diet has been on several issues to get the bill approved, with the importance of passing it causing them to extend its session to July. The diet usually breaks session in June.
This is much needed because, without the support of the government approval of the bill, the casino industry cannot truly begin to gather steam.
The IRIB was one of the main topics of discussion in the upper house at the plenary session on Wednesday.
By the final day of the session on July 19, the parties are hoping to have made a resolution on the bill for it to be sent to the upper chamber before the extended session ends.
As the country seeks to pass the IRIB, the Basic Bill on Gambling Addiction Countermeasures has also been sent to the House of Councillors and expected to be approved this week. The bill is one of the requirements for the approval of the IRIB.
Japan does not have any laws stopping its citizens from gambling at online casinos for real money, although the IR Bill will make this tougher when it is ratified.
