MGM Osaka endorses casino dealer course ahead of IR opening

Japan Casino School, a private training institution specialising in casino dealers, is to launch a new programme in April 2027 endorsed by MGM Osaka Corp, the operator of Japan’s first approved casino resort. The initiative is aimed at developing a pool of locally-trained casino dealers ahead of the planned opening of the Osaka integrated resort (IR) in autumn 2030, according to Japanese media reports on Thursday. The JPY1.51-trillion (US$9.51-billion) MGM Osaka (pictured in a rendering), being developed by a consortium led by MGM Resorts International and Japan’s Orix Corp, is under construction on Yumeshima island in Osaka Bay. The new dealer-training programme, called the “MGM Osaka Certified Course”, will be offered in Tokyo and Osaka, with an initial annual intake of 800 students, divided equally between the two cities, per the media outlets. Japan Casino School aims to instruct at least 2,000 people via the programme before the Osaka IR opens, reported Nikkei. The courses will cover three casino games – roulette, blackjack and baccarat – as well as game management, fraud prevention, and problem-gambling awareness. The course Instructors will themselves receive training from MGM Osaka, while the curriculum will incorporate the casino operator’s procedures for preventing cheating and identifying signs of gambling addiction. The programme will offer courses lasting three months, six months or one year, with fees ranging from JPY558,000 to JPY602,000. Speaking at a press conference in Osaka on Thursday, Edward Bowers, president of MGM Osaka Corp, said workforce development needed to begin well ahead of the resort’s opening. “To build a world-class IR, we need to start developing human resources now, and this is an important step,” Mr Bowers was quoted as saying by Nikkei. Japan Casino School was established in Tokyo in 2004 as a specialist training institution for casino dealers, despite Japan not having any legal land-based casinos at the time. It opened a second campus in Osaka in 2018 and has produced more than 1,000 graduates. The institution provides practical training in casino games, customer service and related operational skills, preparing students for potential employment in the gaming industry. The institution’s new programme is endorsed by MGM Osaka, although the casino operator has not been indicated as being a financial backer of the school According to the school’s principal, Seietsu Oiwane, MGM Osaka is expected to require between 2,500 and 3,000 casino dealers. The resort is projected to employ approximately 15,000 people by its third year of operation.