Billionaire Sheldon Adelson is willing to bet $10 billion that his Las Vegas Sands will become the leader in casino gambling in Japan, an offer he says his competitors can¡¯t match.

What remains to be seen is whether one of the world¡¯s last great untapped gaming markets is willing to bet on him.

For months, the chief executive of the world¡¯s largest casino operator by market value has insisted he¡¯s the person to beat in Japan as it moves closer to legalizing casinos, with the Diet expected to start deliberating an initial bill in May.