Asia round-up: Japan's ”huge potential;” Suncity trial update & Auckland

Fujimoto: Japan's potential to be “one of the biggest” gaming markets

has spoken exclusively to Windstorm Media Communications Media Expert, Mitsuya Fujimoto, about the legalities and illegalities that inform the makeup of Japan’s grey gambling market 

Can you enlighten us on the legality of Japan’s gambling market; how do companies operate in this grey market? 

“I think the issue of legality in Japan was something that people in the industry chose to ignore, or at least they try to let it remain ambiguous because Japan is such an enormous market. The thing about Japan is that it is hard to grasp the actual market size because no one reports how much they are really making, and only the operator knows how much they've made themselves.

“We need to have more controls over where pokie machines are located and how many there are. Because we know they are in neighbourhoods where we already have high levels of deprivation, where people are struggling” Josephine Bartley, Auckland Councillor

“Personally, from what I have gathered, Japan has a huge potential to become one of the biggest markets in the world. We're talking about combining England and the rest of Europe, maybe even more. That's how big the Japanese market is or will be in the near future.   “With the close of the Chinese market during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the crackdown on junkets and updated gaming laws in Macau – every operator there is now looking to move into the Japanese market.”   The full interview will be available in the November/December edition of magazine.   Suncity trial: Former Cage Director professes innocence   Suncity Group’s former Cage Director Ho Cheng I has told a court in Macau that she had no involvement in any activities that involved telephone betting. 
  
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