Japan’s Dutch-themed Huis Ten Bosch amusement park is weighing up an expansion project as it seeks to add a gambling resort.

Hideo Sawada, chairman of park operator H.I.S, said the coastal park might purchase a deserted offshore island, but at least 100bn yen ($974m, €704m, £579m) would be needed to fund the resort.

“We are planning to buy new land to offer more games at the Huis Ten Bosch theme park. There are a lot of deserted islands nearby,” he told Bloomberg.

The possible move comes as a ban on casinos in Japan appears to be nearing an end, making gambling resorts in the country suddenly attractive to developers, who would have to compete for permits.

The 1.52 sq km (16.3m sq ft) theme park saw a 29 per cent rise in visitors – to 2.48 million – in the last fiscal year.