4% of Japan's GDP Comes from Pachinko, a Form of Slot Machine-Like Gambling

GrumpyGuy

Even before Shinzo Abe’s government opened the door to potential casino development in Japan, the nation’s gamblers wagered 23.3 trillion yen ($203 billion) on Pachinko and slot machines in 2015.

Even though that market is shrinking as the population ages and finds other forms of entertainment, and the amount bet is down by almost a third from the peak in 2005, it's still equivalent to about 4 percent of Japan's gross domestic product.

In addition to Pachinko and slot machines, you can legally bet on boat, horse and bicycle races, motorcycle speedway, and buy lottery tickets.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-29/japan-is-a-gambling-hotspot-even-before-casinos

Matt_ADMIN_

This... is kind of seriously troubling when you really think about it

GrumpyGuy

Nevada's gaming revenue in 2015 was apparently $10.6 Billion.  That includes Vegas and Reno.

Japan takes in almost 20x as much in spite of being a country where most forms of gambling are banned.

It's no surprise - there are pachinko parlors absolutely *everywhere* in Japan.  I live in an extremely rural area people in Tokyo think of as a rustic backwater, and there are dozens of huge pachinko places on the outskirts of every town, even the small ones.  These places have parking lots that rival those of supermarkets, which is quite the feat since there isn't much free space available in Japan.