Osaka plans addiction support centre ahead of casino opening

The city of Osaka and Osaka Prefecture want to expand their addiction support services ahead of the planned opening of a casino in autumn 2030. A new centre is due to be established in 2029 to support people affected, from prevention through counselling to recovery. The prefecture and the city intend to present a basic plan for the centre by March 2027.

The project carries a provisional name, the Osaka Addiction Countermeasures Centre, and is meant to support people with various addictions, including gambling, alcohol and drug dependence. It is planned as a central contact point that refers people seeking help to suitable treatment and support services where needed. The plans also include information and awareness work, for example for school classes, as well as research and data analysis with universities and medical institutions. The centre is also to train professionals in addiction prevention and support.

According to the prefecture, there is so far no comparable facility in Japan or abroad. Information and counselling services were held in shopping centres in September and October as pilot projects. The experience gained is to feed into further planning for the centre.

An integrated resort is due to open in autumn 2030 on an artificial island in Osaka Bay, which already served as the venue for Expo 2025. For a long time, Japanese criminal law prohibited casinos completely. It was in 2018 that the government created the legal framework for licensed casinos, through a dedicated law on integrated resorts. Lawmakers attach strict conditions to casino visits by Japanese nationals and people living in the country. They may enter a casino at most three times within seven consecutive days, and at most ten visits are permitted over a period of 28 days.