The Second International Behavioral Addiction Forum was held in Yokohama city on Saturday 12 January, aiming to examine the present and future strategy in Japan using the Singaporean IR industry as a model.
Gambling addiction and measures to prevent it remain one of the primary obstacles facing the development of Japan’s IR industry with foreign operators and both the central and local governments keen to tackle this delicate issue.
The forum was hosted by the National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center (Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture) which plays a central role in the government’s gambling addiction prevention strategy.
The Osaka IR Promotion Bureau periodically holds a Gambling Addiction Prevention Seminar to promote addiction prevention and raise awareness of the issue.
Experts from the Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center have also been invited to a seminar studying addiction and treatment in Osaka this coming Thursday 17 January. Two similar seminars were held last year and this will be its third iteration, with efforts intended to continue into the future.
From 16 January, Osaka Prefectural Library will start introducing academic papers and books specializing in casinos and tourism along with entertaining novels all aimed at providing insights into problem gambling treatment and prevention.