Japan has formally established the next licensing window for integrated resort developments, setting a six-month application period running from 6 May to 5 November 2027. The Cabinet Order confirming the window takes effect on 13 March.
The order amends Cabinet Order No. 365 of 2020, which governs the application periods under Japan’s integrated resort legal framework. The Japan Tourism Agency, which sits within the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, published the amendment following a public consultation that ran from 17 December 2025 to 16 January 2026.
The move formally reopens the regulatory pathway for new casino resort developments, nearly five years after the first and only completed application round closed in April 2022.
A long road since the first round
Japan’s integrated resort legislation was enacted in 2018, authorising the development of up to three casino-integrated resorts nationwide. The first application window ran from 1 October 2021 to 28 April 2022, but generated just a single submission. Osaka’s IR district development plan was the only proposal put forward and subsequently approved, leaving two of the three available licences unallocated.
The long time lag between the first and second rounds can be attributed to the intricacy of Japan’s evaluation process and the rigorous standards set for aspiring applicants. Under the Act on Development of Specified Integrated Resort Districts, local governments are asked to submit development plans in partnership with a private operator. Osaka’s approved project involves a joint venture led by MGM Resorts International and domestic financial group Orix Corporation.
The second window gives other local governments a structured opportunity to enter the process. Aichi Prefecture and Hokkaido have previously signalled interest in hosting integrated resort developments, though neither has formally submitted a proposal.
What the application process requires
Under Article 9, Paragraph 10 of the IR Act, it is mandated for the government to specify the application periods by Cabinet Order. The amendment introduced this week adds “from 6 May 2027 to 5 November 2027” to the existing Cabinet Order, thereby providing the second such window since its enforcement.
As with the first round, local governments wishing to bid must come forward with a private-sector partner already in place. The joint application must outline plans for an integrated resort that includes casino facilities alongside convention space, hotels, and entertainment venues. National regulators then assess submissions against criteria covering economic impact, tourism contribution, and measures to address problem gambling.
The requirement for local government involvement means the licensing process is driven as much by regional politics and public sentiment as by operator strategy. In Hokkaido, earlier attempts to build support for an IR bid stalled amid local opposition. Whether the confirmed second window will generate more competitive interest than the first remains to be seen, though the formal establishment of dates now gives prospective bidders a clear planning horizon.
Industry implications
However, for international gaming operators who have managed to maintain a foothold in the country but are yet to gain a foothold, the 2027 window presents the next viable opportunity. Japan has always been viewed as one of the biggest gaming opportunities in the world in terms of its population and its tourism industry. The Osaka project demonstrated that the regulatory and commercial model can be made to work, even if the path from approval to opening remains lengthy.
The confirmation of a second round also signals that Japan’s government intends to pursue the full allocation of licences over time, rather than treating Osaka as the definitive conclusion of the IR programme. With two licences still available and a formal window now on the calendar, the competitive dynamic among operators and local governments is likely to sharpen over the coming year.
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