Melco Crown Butters up Japan with $10 million Donation

Before the legalization of casinos in Japan, Melco Crown is making its presence felt in the country by donating $10 million for cultural projects.

With new Japanese gambling laws soon to be introduced, casino developers are so eager to get their businesses up and running on this untapped gambling market that they’ve already begun to butter up the authorities and public opinion.

Stakes are high, as experts believe that Japan could become the world’s second largest gambling market. This is why investors are making sure that their good names will be remembered. At least that’s what Melco Crown Entertainment is trying to achieve with a $10 million donation to the University of Arts in Tokyo.

The link between casinos and culture

A big supporter of legalizing casinos in Japan, Melco Crown has already announced its intentions of spending $5 billion on a casino project in the country. Considering the money they’re willing to invest, it’s obvious that the company owners are convinced it’s 100% worth it.

The $10 million donation was merely “a contribution to cultural development in Japan”, said Melco Crown spokeswoman Maggie Ma. The money will be used to finance several cultural projects, including research on urban development and a “Kimono Culture” event, scheduled for next year.

Other major companies have shown interest in building casino resorts in Japan, so business will soon be booming. For now, internet betting in Japan is limited to lottery games and betting on soccer and four other selected sports. Who knows? Maybe the new law could create new opportunities for online gambling investors as well.