7 Types of Gambling Available in Japan
Gambling is prohibited in Japan, and there are no casinos in Japan. However, while gambling is punishable, there are several types of gambling activities that are officially recognized by the government in Japan. Here are seven types of gambling, along with their rates of return!
Horse Racing (Keiba)
70~80% return rate
Horse racing is the most popular type of gambling with the highest turnover. Basically, races are held every week in central Japan and every day in local Japan.
The “Japan Derby” in May, the “Japan Cup” in November, and the “Arima Kinen” at the end of the year are especially popular, and the results of these three races are always shown on the news.
Bicycle racing (Keirin)
75% return rate
Bicycle racing is said to be the public gambling with the largest number of professional players among the professional sports in Japan. These professional players race every day at various venues throughout Japan.
Boat Race
75% return rate
Boat racing is the only type of public gambling where the races are held on the water. The water used for the races includes rivers, lakes, and the ocean.
There are 24 race tracks in Japan, and races are held 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Motorcycle race
70% return rate
Auto racing is a type of public gambling that is conducted using motorcycles. There are five racetracks in Japan (Kawaguchi, Isesaki, Hamamatsu, Sanyo, and Iizuka), and races are basically held every day.
Pachinko and slots
Return rate 80%
Pachinko and slots are both huge industries, accounting for 30% of the market size of the leisure industry.
In recent years, due to payout restrictions and other factors, gambling has gradually become more difficult to win.
There is always a Pachinko or Pachislot store near a train station, and it is one of the most familiar gambling activities for Japanese people.
Lottery (Takarakuji)
About 45％ return rate
The lottery is the least expensive way of public gambling. In the city center, there are many lottery booths within walking distance of each other, so you should have no difficulty taking a chance.
Sports lottery (BIG and toto)
50% return rate
Although the rate of return is low, soccer fans can enjoy gambling on the results of J-League games, such as toto and totoGoal3, which guess the number of goals scored.
