Pachinko Hurt by New Gaming Regulations

Pachinko has long thrived as one of Japan’s few legal gambling options. But the hybrid of pinball and slots is taking a beating after new government regulations.

Keep reading to find out about the regulations along with what the game’s potential future looks like.

Pachinko Max Payouts Cut

Japanese lawmakers recently slashed the maximum payouts for Pachinko within a four-hour session. They also reduced the overall payback for the machines.

Here’s more from Forbes on the matter:

“Rules imposed in February reduced payouts by 37.5% for pachinko and pachislot – a slot machine with buttons to stop the reels. [The rules] halved the maximum payout during a four hour playing session to ¥50,000 for the traditional ¥4 per ball game.

“Experts say diminishing the gambling element will strangle pachinko’s appeal. Some industry observers believe Japan’s National Police Agency, which oversees pachinko and other amusement businesses, hopes playing hardball with pachinko will lead to a role in casino regulation.”

What is Pachinko’s Future Moving Forward?

This isn’t the first time that Pachinko has been affected by regulations. The country saw a giant spike in play following World War II.

The government took action in the mid-1950s by reducing the number of allowed parlors from 40,000 to 10,000. The result is that the game’s popularity took a hit.

Nevertheless, Pachinko has still remained a prominent form of gambling in the country. But it’ll be interesting to see if this time is different.

Parlors will soon have a new adversary to deal with. Japan has legalized casino gambling, meaning that regular slot machines will be available by the early 2020s.

This isn’t to say that Pachinko is completely doomed. After all, it is its own game thanks to the pinball aspect.

But this game will face its greatest challenge yet due to the payout limitations and upcoming casinos.