Osaka Is better choice for casino than Tokyo: Melco's Ho

(May 29): Lawrence Ho, the billionaire owner of Melco Resorts & Entertainment, said he favors building a casino in Osaka rather than Tokyo because there are more opportunities to develop the smaller Japanese city as an entertainment destination.

Ho is among the industry heavyweights seeking entry to Japan after lawmakers voted in December to open the country to casino gambling. The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which made casino liberalization a priority, hasn’t decided where those casinos will be built nor which companies will operate them.

The prize could be the world’s most lucrative casino market, which CLSA estimates could generate US$25 billion ($34.6 billion) annually. While Melco is considering the viability of Tokyo and nearby Yokohama, the company’s top choice is Osaka and the surrounding Kansai region, home to attractions such as Universal Studios Japan and the city of Kyoto, famed for its Buddhist temples.

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