Japan perhaps is one of the more balanced nations in terms of gambling. There is the horse racing, casinos and lottery, along with a couple of more traditional Japanese games that the populace like to bet on: pachinko and the soccer lottery.

Pachinko

The game of Pachinko is practically a national pastime in Japan. Brought to the country, it is thought, with American slot machines in the early twentieth century, the game has literally been turned vertical. Pachinko arcades abound in the country. They are reportedly obnoxiously clamorous, over-lit, seedy arcades where middle class Japanese men play for hours, feeding little steel balls into the machine. Although the game has been traditionally aimed toward men, most sources claim there are some savvy arcade owners who, in the spirit of competition, are aiming more advertising toward a female audience.

Pachinko is legally supposed to reward winning players with simple prizes. However, it is generally understood that the attraction for Pachinko is in the potential jackpots that are paid out in dim back rooms.

Horse Racing

Japanese have had an equine history for nearly two thousand years. However, the modern history of Japanese horse racing is ambiguous. Most historians agree that the sport gained momentum around the beginning of the twentieth century.

Today, the Japan Racing Association is responsible for a few race tracks throughout the country. Other than the racing venues the JRA operates, there are many more run by local enterprises. These, sources say, are generally lacking the regulations and general panache and tradition of their English and American racing counterparts. The breeding practices are reportedly poor and the betting rules misguided. However, those tracks operated by the Japan Racing Association hold horses and betting to much higher standards.

Lotteries

Akin to many American lotteries, Japan has its own mega buck lottery played in much the same way a lottery is played nearly anywhere else in the modern world.

A popular soccer lottery, called the “toto,” was established in recent years specifically to drum up business for Japan’s professional soccer team, J. Team. The toto games give spectators a chance to bet on the potential winner of each match.