Are you ready to laugh your way through an article about new casino legislation in Japan? Well, buckle up because we’re about to take a wild and hilarious ride.

After years of debating and hand-wringing, the Japanese government has finally passed legislation allowing casinos to operate in the country. But don’t get too excited, folks, because there are some serious regulations in place.

Residents of Japan are limited to only three casino visits per week and 10 visits per month. Wow, talk about strict. It’s like the government is more worried about people becoming high rollers than they are about solving actual issues.

Oh, and if you’re a resident and want to go to a casino, get ready to fork over 6,000 yen (that’s about $45 in case you’re wondering) just to get in the door. On the other hand, international visitors get in free. Remind me again why we’re not all booking flights to Japan right now?

In a document from MGM (yes, the same company behind all those fancy Vegas casinos), they claim that 1.4 billion yen (around $10.5 million) will be used to combat gambling addiction. Oh, the irony. The casino will “contribute to research on measures to combat gambling addiction.” Maybe they should just not build the casino in the first place?

All jokes aside, it’s good to see some effort being made to address the very real issue of gambling addiction. But we can’t help but laugh at the idea of a casino contributing to the solution. It’s like a fast food chain funding research on healthy living.

So, there you have it folks. Japan now has casinos, but they come with a price (literally). And if you do decide to visit one, just be sure to bring some extra yen and a strong willpower to avoid becoming a high-rolling addict.

Serious News: washingtonpost