Content Writer: Janice Chew • Tuesday, 26/01/2026 - 23:32:54 - PM
Japan’s national government has approved a draft 5.4 percent year-on-year increase in the annual budget for the Japan Casino Regulatory Commission (JCRC) for the 2026 financial year, lifting the total to JPY 3.91 billion (about US$25.0 million) from roughly JPY 3.71 billion in 2025. The move underscores continued emphasis on strengthening the country’s casino regulation framework as integrated resort development proceeds.
Most of the budget increase is allocated to personnel costs, which now account for 63.2 percent of total expenditure at JPY 2.47 billion, up about 9.3 percent from the previous year as the regulator continues to build capacity. Operational costs for day-to-day administration are budgeted at around JPY 580 million (roughly 14.8 percent of the total), while JPY 630 million (about 16.1 percent) is earmarked for developing and supervising frameworks for casino operators — reflecting the regulator’s expanding oversight responsibilities.
The budget also includes JPY 220 million for the examination of casino operators and related equipment to assess suitability for licensing, a figure unchanged from 2025. Separately, JPY 540 million is allocated for information technology systems development, funded by Japan’s Digital Agency — a government initiative to drive digitalisation — although this IT allocation isn’t counted within the main regulator budget total.
In terms of staffing, the commission plans a net increase of just one position, bringing total headcount to 168 for FY 2026, compared with 167 in FY 2025, indicating modest growth. Leadership continuity is also evident as Toshiyuki Shimada continues in his role as Secretary-General, having been appointed in mid-2025 to bring experienced oversight to the regulator’s expanding duties.
This budget rise comes amid ongoing efforts by the Japanese government to solidify its regulatory infrastructure in advance of casino resort openings, including the much-anticipated MGM Osaka integrated resort, slated to open by late 2030 as Japan’s first approved casino destination.
