Osaka Restoration Party Passes Bet Addiction Bill in Congress

• allforyouclick
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• on Oct 12, 2022

The Osaka Restoration Party, which holds a majority jointly with Komeito in the Osaka Prefectural Assembly, has decided to submit a “proposed ordinance to promote measures against gambling addiction” to the assembly. The legislative session is scheduled to continue until December 15th.

The Osaka Restoration Party takes a careful stance on addiction countermeasures

In late April, Osaka (including Nagasaki) applied to the government to invite an integrated resort (IR) including a casino. Osaka-based casino operator MGM Resorts International said it could make a decision by the end of the year.

Osaka’s project, which is planned with an initial investment of 1.8 trillion yen, is progressing smoothly on Yumeshima, an artificial island floating in Osaka Bay.

Under the current liberalization framework, no more than three resorts are allowed.
The issue of ‘gambling addiction’ associated with the legalization of casinos has become a focus of public policy at the community and national levels.

According to the latest local media reports, the Osaka Prefectural Government’s draft gambling addiction countermeasures ordinance includes the idea of ​​setting up a countermeasures headquarters within the prefectural government. The head of the headquarters will be Hirofumi Yoshimura, Governor of Osaka Prefecture.
In addition, the establishment of a “countermeasures promotion meeting” and a “fund” by experts has also been proposed.

At the Osaka Prefectural Assembly, the Komeito Party and the Liberal Democratic Party, which is in charge of national affairs, submitted a “proposed ordinance to promote gambling addiction measures” at the regular meeting in May.
However, the Osaka Restoration Party and Komeito have announced that they have sealed the ordinance, saying that it is ineffective'' andthere are concerns about financial resources.”

The government’s Basic Law for Measures against Gambling Addiction, which went into effect in October 2018, requires local governments that want to have casino resorts to formulate such a plan for measures at the local level.

On July 29th, the prefectural assembly rejected a referendum on Osaka Prefecture’s inclination toward an IR bid.
Before the vote, it was reported that more than 190,000 signatures had been gathered, more than the 2% of voters required for the referendum (approximately 146,500).