Manchester City’s Japanese sister club, Yokahoma F. Marinos, will also partner with the operator. Through the partnership, Melco will become the community presenting partner of the J-League football team, creating and implementing community programmes and events around the world.

Melco plans to apply for one of the maximum three casino licenses available in Japan, ahead of the market opening at some point in the coming years.

Damian Willoughby, SVP of Partnerships at City Football Group, said: “We are delighted to welcome Melco into the City Football Group family. Melco and Manchester City share a common approach to have entertainment at the heart of everything we do, providing great experiences for our fans and visitors.”

Lawrence Ho, Chairman and CEO of Melco, said: “In Manchester City and Marinos we have found perfect partners, businesses that excel at entertaining, whilst putting community first. Melco’s connections to Japan run deep, so being able to support grassroots community programmes across the country is an exciting opportunity for us all.”