The Chinese Current Group and the Japanese company group One Kyushu have already been eliminated in the race for a casino license in Japan. Of the five potential license applicants at the beginning, two are no longer there. Casinos Austria, the Japanese-Taiwanese THE NIKI and Chyau Fwu Group as well as Oshidori International Ltd. from Hong Kong are all still very promising candidates.
It is interesting that the two contenders, apart from Casinos Austria, are not at all or only indirectly active in the gaming sector. THE NIKI and Chyau Fwu Group belongs to the construction and infrastructure industry, while Oshidori International Ltd. has a little more to do with gambling and recently entered into a business partnership with Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment.
Casinos Austria was recently mentioned in the news in connection with the establishment of a new independent gaming authority for Austria. After the excitement surrounding the Casino Austria AG scandal, the question was asked what advantages the government’s participation in the gaming company has. It should be noted here that the State of Austria currently holds 33% of the shares in Casinos Austria AG. Most of the shares, however, belong to the Sazka Group from the Czech Republic. This holds over 38% of the shares.
For many years it has also been criticized that providers of online games of chance that are licensed by the EU encounter discrimination in Austria so that the state monopoly of Casinos Austria remains protected. A detachment of gambling agendas from the Treasury Department could change this status.
Casinos Austria are a very promising candidate
Casinos Austria was the first of the five applicants to submit their application for the Nagasaki location. According to Akio Hayashi, spokesman for the Casinos Austria International Group, the goal is not to build a location that resembles the most famous gambling destinations such as Las Vegas or Macau in Asia. Rather, according to the initial plans, they want to focus on creating an integrated resort that is adapted to the city but still has a touch of European character.
IR should also offer enough space for, among other things, conferences and meetings. In addition, the resort will have a spa area. A philharmonic orchestra with an Austrian touch could also become part of the resort. One of Japan’s most famous architects, Kengo Kuma, would be responsible for the design of the integrated resort.
Speaking of Japan’s creative scene: Hiroshi Sasaki, Creative Director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo 2021, has announced his resignation. He wanted a plus-size model to float in the air dressed as a pig. Sasaki used the word game “Olympig”, a combination of the word “olym” from “olympic” and “pig”, the English word for pig.
Sasaki apologized, but decided to resign anyway.
Thanks to its many years of gambling experience, Casinos Austria could actually have good potential to soon have a new location in Japan. Before that, however, there are a few more application steps ahead, such as a dialogue with the city of Nagasaki and a review of the applicant for competence and suitability, which is carried out by a research company that judges independently.
A final decision is expected to be made in August this year.
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