Show notes
Ever been walking down the street in Japan and wondered what that building is with the bright lights, loud slot machines, and cigarette smoke seeping through the doors? How is pachinko gambling if gambling is technically illegal here? Let’s learn more about the game that you can find in pretty much any neighborhood in Japan, the ancient types of gambling that preceded pachinko, the hidden problems of gambling addiction, and how these ’entertainment facilities’ operate through a legal loophole. Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at [email protected]: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platformsReferences/sources:Nicholas Cage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYkw-5htPw0A pachinko addict’s guide: https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/an-addict%25e2%2580%2599s-guide-to-pachinkoNumber of Pachinko Parlors and Parlor Operators in Japanhttps://www.yanoresearch.com/en/press-release/show/press_id/3528Japan's pachinko industry braces for anti-addiction regulation/ 2018https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/japans-pachinko-industry-braces-for-antiaddiction-regulation-1548046Gambling Addiction in the Land of Pachinko/ 2018https://www.nippon.com/en/currents/d00367/Japan casino bribery investigation widens, arcade operator raided/ 2019https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2019/12/26/japan-casino-bribery-investigation-widens-arcade-operator-raidedAssociation of gambling activities and modalities with problem gambling in Japan: A nationwide cross-sectional online survey-based study https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853225000136?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=a1d883dadf171b3aA Journey into Japan’s Pachinko Parlors/ 2024https://peacockplume.fr/lifestyle/journey-japans-pachinko-parlorsThe Zone and the Shame: Narratives of Gambling Problems in Japanhttps://criticalgamblingstudies.com/index.php/cgs/article/view/112/74Eigamura: https://en.eigamura.com/show/chohan/https://en.eigamura.com/show/kyohana/Children left in cars: https://goemon-jp.com/news/mother-arrested-for-abandoning-her-1-year-old-child-in-the-car-at-a-pachinko-parlor-parking-lot-tPEZTNj9JQd4ZF6muNBM8p?language=enhttps://japantoday.com/category/crime/woman-arrested-after-5-month-old-son-dies-in-car-while-she-plays-pachinkoCops suspected of gambling: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/23/japan/crime-legal/police-online-casino-gambling/The anime/pachinko connection: https://blog.jlist.com/your-friend-in-japan/the-anime-pachinko-connection/Gambling addiction stats: https://kurihama.hosp.go.jp/english/https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10899-025-10423-whttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-024-19197-zAddiction: https://www.nippon.com/en/features/h00252/Consultation service: https://rsn-sakura.jp/english.htmlEffects of pachinko: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-024-19373-1Number of pachinko parlors: https://www.yanoresearch.com/en/press-release/show/press_id/3528The pachinko player/ 2008: https://www.tokyoreporter.com/japan-news/special-reports/the-pachinko-player/Pachinko the book: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2017/03/04/books/book-reviews/pachinko-min-jin-lee-writes-struggle-ethnic-korean-family-japan/Osaka’s new casino resort: https://japan-forward.com/osaka-casino-resort-on-track-for-2030-launch-after-operator-waives-right-to-withdraw/Time stamps00:00 intro to pachinko03:58 ancient gambling 08:33 how does pachinko work11:33 pachinko addiction23:30 legal & illegal types of gambling/betting29:25 who profits from pachinko?32:11 Pachinko (novel) + ethnic stereotypes34:55 police, corruption, gang ties40:14 exploitation, child neglect 43:46 pro pachinko players46:40 industry decline + new Osaka casino plans