The Cabinet on Friday approved a plan to limit customers' access to betting establishments and remove cash machines from the facilities as the government prepares to curtail problem gambling ahead of the opening of casinos.

Prefectures nationwide will formulate their own efforts based on the government's plan, with authorities required to take action under the basic law on measures against addiction that was enacted in October.

"We will create a healthy society by thoroughly implementing measures based on the basic plan in order to prevent people from finding themselves in difficult situations," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said during a government meeting.