Yokohama Likely to Sit Out Japan's 2027 Casino Bidding Round
Japan's second-largest city looks set to stay out of the next integrated resort race as an anti-casino candidate runs for mayor.
Yokohama, long seen by global operators as a stand-in for Tokyo, is expected to skip Japan's next integrated resort bidding round, according to Casino.org's October 5 report. The city already stepped back from casino plans in 2021, when Takeharu Yamanaka won the mayor's office on an anti-casino platform and withdrew its resort proposal.
A special election for the vacant mayoral seat is set for October. Candidate Kazuma Nakatani says he will keep Yokohama casino-free and push a local casino-ban ordinance if he wins. Japan's second licensing round is expected to open in May 2027 under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and so far only Hokkaido and Aichi have publicly voiced interest.
Casino.org has also reported that Japan could approve up to two more resorts by the end of 2027. Hokkaido previously drew proposals from Hard Rock International, Mohegan and Rush Street, and a committed Tokyo would likely restart intense competition among the big operators, since new licences in Macau and Singapore are closed for years.
Key facts
- Yokohama dropped casino plans in 2021 under Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka
- Special mayoral election set for October; Kazuma Nakatani is running on an anti-casino ticket
- Second national bidding round expected to open in May 2027
- Only Hokkaido and Aichi have publicly expressed interest so far
- Up to two more resorts could be approved by the end of 2027
Source: Casino.org. Summary written by BetWiseBrief; details as reported on October 5, 2026 and may change.
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