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Japan does not allow land casinos, online casinos or sports betting. However, Pachinko is a popular arcade game that generates $140 billion annually. It is not considered gambling in Japan. In Asia, the likes of Korea, Macau and The Philippines generate significant revenues from the gambling industry.
In the early 20th century, some Western influences were seen in Japanese culture. One of them was the Korinto Gemu board game, which was inspired by Bagatelle. It became so popular that by the 1920's almost every candy store in Japan had one.
Pachinko is a popular pastime in Japan. It is played in parlours and parades. The industry generated $140 billion in 2020 and employs more people than every Japanese car manufacturer combined. It's 4% of the GDP and double the size of Japan's car export industry. There are 8,460 pachinksi parls in the country.
Pachinko is a points-based rewarded system. Players collect points and the more points they collect, the better the prize they can receive. It is common for players to save their points over many sessions and redeem them at the pachinksi parlour when they have enough points. Common prizes include detergents, cigarettes, groceries, and electronics.
T-U-C Shops are important to the pachinko industry in Japan. They sell the big winners' winnings and sell them back to parlours. In recent years, players can load their hard-earned points onto a credit-card style card and exchange them for cash. It is legal and in accordance with the law.
