The National Federation of Mahjong Business Associations and the Japan Mahjong Sports Promotion Organization will release the "Guidelines for Mahjong Facilities Outside the Scope of the Entertainment Business Act" on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, to appropriately promote mahjong as a place for learning and education. These guidelines have been compiled by the industry, following repeated consultations with the National Police Agency, to clarify the distinction between mahjong businesses requiring permission under the Entertainment Business Act and mahjong facilities intended for learning and education. Furthermore, these guidelines were announced on June 19, 2026, at a meeting of the "LDP Diet Members' League for Promoting Healthy and Safe Mahjong as a Mind Sport," with the National Police Agency also in attendance. This represents a significant step for the industry in expanding mahjong not just as a mere game, but as something that contributes to the development of young people's thinking skills and as a mind sport. Scenes from the Sports Mahjong Diet Members' League held on June 19 Background of Guideline Formulation Until now, individuals under 18 years of age were not permitted to enter mahjong parlors licensed under the Entertainment Business Act. In recent years, however, places aimed at "learning" mahjong, not just "playing" it, have been spreading across the country, including mahjong classes for children, competitive mahjong learning facilities, and beginner mahjong courses. However, for facilities using mahjong tables, there has been no clear standard as to whether they fall under mahjong operations regulated by the Entertainment Business Act or can be categorized as facilities for learning and education. In light of these issues, these guidelines present a framework whereby facilities that install mahjong tables and teach mahjong can be categorized as learning facilities, distinct from mahjong operations under the Entertainment Business Act, provided they mee