The upper house of the Japanese Parliament approved on Wednesday a bill to legalize casinos, despite protests of the opposition, Kyodo News reports.
Now, gambling has become legal that can attract billions of dollars of investment in the country and to fill the budget.
However, first, lawmakers will have to develop a system of licensing and regulation of the market. Also, the first casino are unlikely to appear in Japan until 2020, when Tokyo will host the Summer Olympic Games.
It was Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who pushed for legalization of gambling in the country. In his opinion, the development of gambling will attract tourists and will stimulate economic growth. Advocates of casinos’ legalization believe that Japan will be able to compete with Macau, which is the center of gaming industry in Asia.
