Caesars keen on entering Japanese market

"We think there will be opportunities for very successful integrated resorts,” said Steven Tight, the President of International Development for Caesars Entertainment, talking with Asia Gaming Brief.

With much of the industry media coverage turning bearish on Japan as news of the government’s strict policies of limitations on casinos have become known, Caesars confirms that it remains undaunted.

"I think there’s strong evidence that this market will be extremely successful, and I think that when you look at the analysts’ studies of the size of that market, it puts it probably the second-largest in the world behind Macau,” states Tight.

Tight suggests that the scope and strictness of Japanese government regulation will affect the amounts of money that international operators will be willing to invest: "It’s too early, I think, for anyone to predict how much they would invest when we don’t even know the guidelines for the regulations. How they decide to control their concerns about harm minimization will certainly impact the supportable investment on the project.”

The company, as yet, has no operations in Asia. It has a license to build an IR in Incheon in Korea and recently said it was moving ahead with the US$ 700 million project.