Bubbles

How to play Bubbles

The Commission’s investigation into what constitutes “informed choice” in gambling involved a multi-method approach. 

Researchers conducted a rapid desk review of 53 relevant sources, three deliberative focus groups segmented by gambling product type (sports betting, online casino/slots and land-based gambling) and four in-depth interviews with people identified as being at higher risk of harm (Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) score of 8 or more). 

A total of 22 participants were purposely recruited to provide detailed insights.

About Bubbles

Japan’s path to IR legalisation was not straight forward. The IR Promotion Act, which set Japan on the road to casino-integrated resorts, was passed in December 2016 after a contentious debate. Nearly two years later came the IR Implementation Act, which laid out the regulatory frameworks for casinos, from entry restrictions to measures addressing gambling addiction and other social concerns. Yet even as the government pitched IRs as a catalyst for tourism, regional development and economic growth, opposition remained aggressive.

Among the opposing forces was Kenji Eda, a prominent House of Representatives lawmaker from Yokohama and a senior figure in the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. Eda has been a vocal critic of the government’s IR push, raising concerns over gambling addiction, the economic impact on local businesses and whether the casino-led model would deliver the promised benefits.

The prospect of international operators snapping up Japan’s coveted IR licences gradually lost its lustre, as the likes of Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Genting Singapore and Caesars Entertainment balked at the demanding regulatory framework, hefty investment requirements and uncertain returns.

What is Bubbles?

Ultimately, Ahlberg sees the acquisition as opening two possible paths for GiG, with the balance between B2B and B2C likely to depend on how each business performs. “I definitely think this business will become a larger part of GiG,” he concludes.

“And then I guess we will see. I mean if this business really grows fast, then it might become more B2C, but as I see it now, it feels like a kind of a 50-50 story where you have both opportunities there.

“If the B2B starts to grow faster, they might end up doing a bit more of that. If the B2C
does really well, they might end up doing more B2C. So I guess it’s still a bit early to see where it ends up longer term.”