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Japan to accept IR applications starting in May 2027
On March 10, 2026, Japan’s legislators confirmed that the second round of the application process for integrated casino resorts will begin in May 2027.
The bidding period will open on May 7 and last for six months, until November 5, and during this time, local governments will have the chance to apply for one of the two remaining licenses that weren’t granted in the first period of bidding, which ended in 2023.
When the Integrated Resort Implementation Law was passed in 2018, up to three IRs with legalized casino gambling were authorized, and their success led to a second phase of development. Former prime minister Shinzo Abe promoted IRs as a way to improve tourism and foreign investments, and his successor, current prime minister Sanae Takaichi, has also taken the same direction.
During the first round, Osaka and Nagasaki submitted applications, but only the MGM Osaka project was approved, while the Nagasaki project, led by Casinos Austria, failed because of financing concerns.
In the second round, it’s expected that Nagasaki Prefecture will apply for an IR license once again, and Aichi Prefecture is also on the list of potential applicants. The governor of Hokkaido, Naomichi Suzuki, initially passed on the opportunity; however, he is now considering participating in the bidding, as partner Hard Rock plans to apply for the 2027 IR license in Japan.
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