Gambling in Japan

Gambling in Japan is banned by the Criminal Code chapter 23, [ [http://www.cas.go.jp/jp/seisaku/hourei/data/PC.pdf Criminal Code of Japan in English] ] however there are several exceptions.

Public sports, lottery, and toto are held under special laws in order to increase the income of national and local governments, as well as to offer a form of entertainment for many people.

Forms of Gambling

Public Sports

Kōei kyōgi (公営競技, public sports) are public races that people in Japan can gamble on legally. There are four different types of kōei kyōgi: Keiba (horse racing), Keirin (bicycle racing), Kyotei (motorboat racing), and Auto Race (motorcycle racing). They are allowed by special laws and are regulated by local governments or governmental corporations.

The prize pool for the gamblers of these races are about 75-80% of total sales. Betting tickets are available at countless circuits and ticket booths within many cities, namely Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, and Nagoya.

Lottery

Takarakuji (宝くじ), i.e. lotteries, are held by prefectures or large cities on a regular basis all throughout the calendar year.

There are three main types of lotteries: unique number lotteries, selected number lotteries, and scratch cards. Each lottery ticket is sold at 100 yen to 500 yen, and the top cash prizes are usually 100 million yen or more.

The takarakuji law stipulates that the entire prize pool for any given lottery is to be less than 50% of total sales, with the rest going to local government organizations and charities. Takarakuji tickets are available at takarakuji booth and stores in many cities. Tickets for selected number lotteries can be also bought at some ATMs.

Toto

Toto is a soccer lottery (サッカーくじ, soccer betting) that is held over weekly J-League games and is regulated by the government. With toto, people bet on the outcomes of J. League games, and the size of the top cash prize depends on the number of people who bet correctly. The name "toto" comes from "totocalcio", an Italian word for soccer betting.

Pachinko

Pachinko is a pinball-like slot machine game. It is officially not considered gambling because Japanese laws regard pachinko as an exception to the criminal code on gambling for historical, monetary, and cultural reasons. Pachinko parlours can be found all over Japan, and they are operated by private companies, most of which have Korean connections.

In pachinko, when a player's ball makes it into a special hole to activate the slot machine and a jackpot is made, they are rewarded with a lot more. Players can then exchange the balls into prizes at a booth in the parlour. Money cannot be awarded at pachinko parlors as it is a violation of the criminal code. However, players almost always exchange pachinko balls into prizes, usually slits of gold encased in plastic, and then "sell" them at a neighboring shop for cash.

The Future of Gambling in Japan

There are currently movements within the Japanese government to open casinos that can boost the ailing tourist industry in several cities. [LDP [http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/seisaku/2006/seisaku-006.html discussion about casinos in 2006] ] Currently, operating casinos are illegal in Japan, therefore new laws must be put in place before they can be opened.

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