The Chairman of Japan’s National Council on Gaming Legislation, Toru Mihara, and a member of Thailand’s House of Representatives advising the government’s casino committee, Udorn Olsson, are among the speakers lined up for the G2E Asia conference in Singapore later this month.
Mihara and Olsson were announced by G2E Asia on Thursday as part of a panel session called “Spotlight on Thailand and Japan”. The session will also feature the CEO of Thailand-based real estate investment firm Destination Capital, James Kaplan, and be moderated by Spectrum Gaming Group’s Fred Gushin.
Mihara’s appearance comes just weeks after Japan’s central government certified the country’s first ever casino-resort development, with MGM Resorts and local partner ORIX given the green light to develop a US$10 billion IR on Osaka’s Yumeshima Island. The government is continuing to assess a second bid by Nagasaki Prefecture and its operator partner Casinos Austria to develop a smaller US$3.5 billion IR in Sasebo City.
Thailand, meanwhile, is on the verge of drawing up legislation that would pave the way for its first legal casinos.
Thailand’s House of Representatives has already approved a report proposing the establishment of integrated resorts with casinos, which recommends the development of legalized casinos within broader entertainment complexes in up to five locations nationwide. Bangkok and Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) – which includes the likes of Pattaya and Rayong – were named as the most suitable locations.
To register for G2E Asia Special Edition: Singapore, to be held at Marina Bay Sands from 30 May to 1 June, click here.
