Sega Sammy throws in hat into Japan’s IR bidding ring

Sega Sammy Holdings Inc., the entertainment behemoth in Japan, has entered into the bidding fray for Japan’s proposed integrated resort (IR) license for operating casinos. The big Japanese is looking for the “most appropriate partner” to bid for IR license.

As per Japan’s IR bill, three casinos will be allowed in the country. The venue of these licenses is not chosen yet. A bidding process will begin soon. A number of international companies planning to set shop in Japan to play a part in the gaming revolution in Japan. Sega Sammy expects the bidding process to “commence in 2019 at the earliest and in 2020 at the latest.”

“We would prepare for formulating plans in line with such timing,” including announcing partners, said the company.

Sega Sammy has mentioned previously it was “accumulating know-how” in resort management via its investment in South Korean foreigner-only casino resort Paradise City.

In October, Sega Sammy’s chairman and group chief executive Hajime Satomi said such knowledge would set the brand in good stead for its strategy of investing in other “growth businesses” including a bid for a casino resort in Japan.

Mr Satomi added that Sega Sammy was interested primarily in being a majority owner of any Japan casino project in which it participates. In that country, such schemes are known as “integrated resorts” or IRs.

In the latest presentation, Sega Sammy’s management said that if the partnership with South Korean casino operator Paradise Co Ltd “becomes a big success,” the Paradise City brand can be expanded “into different regions.” That did not mean, however, that the group had decided to bid for a Japanese licence in partnership with Paradise Co, it added.

“For a Japanese integrated resort, we would like to find the most appropriate partner including other collaborative operators as the partnership with Paradise group has not been decided,” it stated.