A bill to lift the ban on casinos is on the Diet table. Although its enactment during the current session seems iffy as time runs short before the scheduled close at the end of November, proponents say the legislation is needed now so that Japan can open casinos in time for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. But while advocates tout the economic benefits of boosting inbound tourism and creating jobs, no serious thoughts appear to be given to concerns that casinos will fuel the gambling addiction in this country and present underworld elements with a tempting opportunity to enrich themselves.

Gambling for money is prohibited under the nation's criminal code. Still, there are horse, motorcycle, bicycle and boat races run by local governments and special entities that allow betting as exceptions meant to support public finances. Pachinko parlors, which are technically not labeled as gambling businesses but effectively allow people to cash in on their winnings, is a ¥19 trillion industry with roughly 12,000 outlets nationwide. A recent survey by a research team at the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry estimated the number of people suspected of being addicted to gambling at 5.4 million. Criticism abounds that the government is doing little to address the problem.

A supra-partisan group of lawmakers who push for legalizing casinos — which submitted the bill to the Diet in December last year — recently went back and forth on whether to make casinos off limits to Japanese citizens. Apparently mindful of the criticism over possible negative social impact of casinos, members of the group earlier this month said they would revise the bill to initially limit the use of such facilities to visitors from abroad. But a few days later, they reversed the plan and said the casinos should be open to Japanese under certain conditions, such as banning the entry of heavily indebted persons or collecting entry fees from Japanese only.