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Nagasaki Prefecture Confirms Four Operators to Participate in the Request-for-Concept Stage of Integrated Casino Resort Application Process

As of the end of November, Nagasaki prefecture in Japan has seen four entities that have confirmed participation in the request-for-concept (RFC) process for a proposed casino. The possible integrated casino resort is to be hosted on a site in Sasebo city’s Huis Ten Bosch theme park.

Nagasaki prefecture’s officials confirmed the information. Sasebo city is part of the administrative area of the prefecture and could become home to one of the three integrated casino resorts that are set to be built in Japan under the country’s gambling sector expansion. As CasinoGamesPro has previously explained, such casino resorts would feature not only a casino venue but also hotels, conference space, shopping, dining and entertainment areas, etc.

As revealed by Nagasaki officials, as of the end of November, three of the four entities that were willing to participate in the RFC phase of the project agreed to have their names disclosed – the gaming operator Casinos Austria International Japan Inc, the Japanese firm Current Corp and Oshidori International Development Ltd. For the time being, the fourth company that is to take part in the request-for-concept process chose not to reveal its identity.

The application period for the RFC came to an end on November 29th, with four applicants confirmed.

Selection Process for IR Casino Operator to Continue in Nagasaki Prefecture

Apart from the fact it confirmed that four entities have been part of the RFC application process, local officials have revealed that the Joint Council of Nagasaki Prefecture and Sasebo City had been able to discuss with more than four operators. Sasebo City is supported as the Nagasaki Prefecture’s candidate location for an integrated casino resort, as a prefecture senior official has previously revealed.

Now, the selection process for an integrated casino resort operator is set to continue, with local officials set to work in line with the regulatory updates made by the Central Government.

The RFC application process for a casino resort in Nagasaki prefecture started at the beginning of October. If an integrated casino resort is established, it could be hosted on a 31-hectare site at Huis Ten Bosch theme park. Currently, the applications of the four RFC participants that have been confirmed are being reviewed by Nagasaki Prefecture. The companies are given time until January 10th, 2020 to submit their proposal documentation for the period, and some talks between the local government and the applicants are set to be held.

As the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has previously revealed, the acceptance of the local authorities’ plans for integrated casino resorts by the Central Government would start after January 4th, 2021. For the time being, July 30, 2021, remains the proposed closing date for the expected submissions.

At this time, Nagasaki, Yokohama, Osaka and Nagasaki have been the only ones that have officially announced their intention for an integrated casino offers. Tokyo, Nagoya and Chiba are still in the consideration stage, while Hokkaido has decided to withdraw from the competition. Japan has previously announced that a maximum of three candidate locations is set to be selected.



 Author: Harrison Young

Harrison Young is an experienced writer, who started his career almost 8 years ago. Prior to joining our team at CasinoGamesPro, he worked as an editor for a small magazine.
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