Japan dreams of hitting jackpot with new law on legal casinos

Industry could generate $34b a year but critics fear addiction increase

TOKYO - At a casino school in Tokyo, croupier-in-training Takuto Saito settles behind a green table and reaches for the roulette wheel, addressing a group of imaginary punters: "Spin up. Place your bets."

The 24-year-old has never set foot in a casino, but he is gambling that new laws opening up the lucrative sector will soon create plenty of jobs for croupiers in Japan.