- Media
Details behind Japan’s first casino-integrated resort
With Japan’s first casino-centred integrated resort, known as the MGM Osaka, set to open by autumn 2030 on Yumeshima island in Osaka Bay, new architectural documents have been unveiled which provide some further information about the layout and structure of the resort.
According to reports by Japanese media, the resort will have a main structure of a 126-metre, 27-storey tower which will be housing two hotels totalling around 1,840 rooms. This is in addition to the MGM casino, as well as a theatre. Full-scale construction of the resort reportedly started in April 2025, and design plans also indicate that it will be in an arc shape, which is similar to MGM’s Las Vegas property known as the Bellagio.
The resort will be developed and operated by MGM Osaka Corporation, which is a company anchored by the Japanese unit of MGM Resorts International and ORIX Corporation. The signatories of the initial agreement to develop the casino included Osaka Prefecture Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura, Osaka City Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama, as well as MGM Resorts International CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle.
Hornbuckle has referred to the project as a “world-class integrated resort”, and added that MGM Resorts International is committed to the endeavour and delivering “top-tier gaming, entertainment, dining, and retail experiences to Japan and Osaka”. He had remarked that MGM’s aspiration is to bring its “signature wow factor from Las Vegas to Osaka”.
Looking at the details of the casino itself, reports indicate that it will cover just under 23,300 metres, where previously disclosed plans have indicated that there will be around 470 table games and 6,400 electronic gaming machines included. In addition to the tower, the resort will reportedly include a large 16.7 hectare convention and exhibition complex, housing two exhibition halls, various meeting rooms, as well as a large parking area.
There are also plans for a separate 13-storey, 56-metre high hotel containing 660 rooms. The hotel is planned to have one basement level, and will also include studios where visitors can partake in activities such as tea ceremony experiences.
All in all, the whole site is set to cover roughly 49 hectares near the former site of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. The integrated resort forms part of Japan’s push to establish a regulated casino industry, with Osaka having been indicated as the country’s first host city.
MGM Osaka stated that its aim is to bring world-class hospitality, entertainment, and gaming to the Osaka region. It said that the resort will offer cultural experiences and amenities tailored to both international visitors and local guests, and added that it will contribute to Osaka’s evolution as a world-class destination.
Japan’s push for stay-type tourism
The Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, has previously requested for the government’s Tourism Minister to promote the development of integrated resorts and work towards realising stay-type tourism, which she described as being “highly competitive in the international market”.
Japan’s announcement to open its first casino came about following much deliberation across a number of years, and the announcement was met with mixed reactions. Those viewing the announcement positively spoke of increases in tourist spending, while those who viewed the announcement apprehensively mentioned concerns of gambling addiction developing among locals.
In 2023, the at-the-time Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, had said that he anticipated that the complex would stimulate development in the broader Osaka region while also serving as a tourism hub to showcase Japan’s charm.
MGM Osaka stated that integrated resorts are designed to transform tourism into a “next-generation growth industry” while breathing new life into local communities at the same time. It continued that integrated resorts open the door to sustainable economic growth and serve as catalysts for global competitiveness.
The growing Japanese gambling market
Japan’s gambling market could see substantial growth as a result of such casino complexes being developed. Some of the largest casino operators had been lobbying Japanese authorities to approve the construction of the country’s first complex, arguing that it could potentially generate large profits and tax revenue for the Japanese government.
The Osaka government has previously predicted that the project would generate 15,000 jobs and potentially attract up to 20 million visitors annually.
A survey from 2025 commissioned by Japan’s National Policy Agency found that, based on national population estimates, an estimated 3.37 million people in Japan were engaging in online gambling, which amounts to around 2.7% of the country’s population. Furthermore, the average annual betting amount per user was reportedly around US$4,200, and the total annual gambling amount was estimated to be approximately US$8.4 billion.
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