Japan has officially named Toshiyuki Shimada as the Secretary General of its Casino Regulatory Commission, marking a pivotal moment for the country’s gambling sector amidst ongoing regulatory tightening.
Bringing a wealth of experience from his previous role as Deputy Secretary General, along with his tenure at Japan’s Ministry of Finance, Shimada’s appointment was ratified by Parliament. This body is tasked with selecting the five principal members of the commission’s senior leadership, who each serve staggered five-year terms.
Since January 7, the commission has been overseen by Takafumi Sato. Accompanying him are recent appointees including Junichi Kakimizu, a past leader at the National Tax College; Michiko Watari, a practicing psychiatrist; Hirofumi Kitamura, formerly of the National Police Agency; and Keiko Ishikawa, an economics professor.
Shimada steps into his new role at a time when Japan is intensifying its surveillance of gambling activities. Just last week, the government prohibited local online casino advertisements, a move that adds to the gambling prohibitions already outlined under Chapter 23 of the Criminal Code. Nonetheless, Japan permits certain betting activities like horse racing and public sports betting, which are regulated under specific legislation.
The nation also accommodates Pachinko parlors, which offer a pinball-slot machine hybrid game and operate in a unique legal category that skirts traditional gambling definitions. These parlors are integral to Japan’s leisure landscape, attracting significant spending from patrons.
The upcoming MGM Osaka casino resort at Yumeshima, supported by a recently increased investment from MGM Resorts International, underscores Japan’s cautious yet opportunistic engagement with gambling ventures. With an anticipated opening by 2030 and a budget of around JPY 1.27 trillion (USD 7.9 billion), this project is among the most significant of its kind in Japan.
As Shimada assumes his responsibilities, his leadership arrives at a crucial time, balancing the need for strict gambling supervision with the potential economic benefits of major projects like MGM Osaka, exemplifying Japan’s strategy to harness the gambling industry’s potential responsibly.