Lichess

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The regulatory framework strictly keeps the casino component in check. Casino floor space is capped at 3% of the total floor area of the IR, while Japanese residents are restricted to three visits per week and 10 visits within any 28-day period. Each visit also carries a mandatory ¥6,000 entry fee, reinforcing the government’s intent to curb excessive gambling even as it opens the door to casinos.

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.

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The collaboration includes sponsorship rights for significant NFL events such as Super Bowl LXI and the NFL Mexico Game – a regular-season NFL matchup on 22 November 2026 in Mexico City between the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings. 

The deal extends to activations around the 2027 Super Bowl in Los Angeles. The companies have outlined provisions for hospitality programmes, VIP experiences, activations across several Mexican cities and official NFL merchandise opportunities for Codere Online’s customer base.

“This agreement strengthens our premium positioning while underlining our long-term commitment to Mexico, a market with an extraordinary passion for the NFL,” said Carlos Sabanza, director of sponsorships and public relations at Codere Online. 

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Betfred currently sponsors Britain’s five classic horse races, including the Epsom Derby. Done said the company had yet to agree on extending those sponsorships amid the tax uncertainty, warning that reduced regulated gambling provision could push problem gamblers towards the black market.

He also pushed back against claims by Dame Meg Hillier, chair of the Treasury Select Committee, who has characterised some industry warnings as “scaremongering”.

Burnham dealt another slight blow to the retail sector recently, by insisting he would scrap “aim to permit” for betting shops as well as insisting that AGCs will now need planning permission to function.