The types of gambling that can be played in Japan are major ones such as horse racing and pachinko, and stock investment that requires knowledge. Lottery tickets are sold all over the city. Also, insurance, which at first glance may not seem like gambling, is said to be a form of gambling.
Gambling is not considered to have a good image, but in fact, it is closer to home than you might think. In this article, we will itemize the types and characteristics of such gambling and introduce them in detail.
What are the different types of gambling in Japan?
The types of gambling that can be played in Japan can be divided into four main categories.
- Online casinos: It allows you to experience the realism of a real land casino through the Internet while also allowing you to read guides and reviews about each online casino, including games and casino bonuses.
- Public gambling: It is recognized by law, such as horse racing and lotteries.
- National gambling: It is familiar to many people as a game, such as pachinko.
- Financial products: such as insurance and stock investments, which seem far from gambling, are said to have originated from gambling.
There are many different types of games, from easy to get-rich-quick games.
Types and Features of Online Casinos in Japan
Online casinos are casino games where you can actually bet money using the Internet. Online casinos are similar to online games, but online casinos are legitimate forms of gambling and are said to have been created around 1994.
Most online casino operators are large, publicly traded companies, and they often sponsor world-famous sports teams or introduce world-famous movies and characters as tie-up games.
There are numerous types of online casino games. In addition, you’ll be able to play against real dealers in a LIVE broadcast from overseas.
Among the various types of gambling that can be played in Japan, the advantage of online casinos is that they can be played easily at any time and place.
Unlike horse racing and pachinko, which have fixed race days and hours of operation, you can play 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere you have a smartphone or tablet.
In addition, when comparing the rate of return for each type of gambling, online casinos have an overwhelmingly high rate of return of about 97% compared to horse racing (about 76%) and pachinko (about 85%).
In addition, online casinos offer a wide variety of promotions such as cashback and deposit bonuses, which are unique to online casinos and rarely seen in other forms of gambling.
Recommended Online Casinos
Here are some online casinos that offer no deposit bonuses and cashback, as well as recommendations for first-time players.
Vera John Casino (ベラジョンカジノ)
Vera John Casino is one of the most popular online casinos in Japan. It has a wide variety of deposit and withdrawal accounts that allow for easy deposits and withdrawals, and withdrawals are rather fast.
This is an online casino where you will never get bored even if you play for a long time, as there are many Japan-only campaigns. They’ve also won the Gold Medal at the Special Victory Casino Awards for five years in a row, 2016-2020!
Casino Secrets (カジノシークレット)
Casino Secret is a revolutionary casino that was established by a group of experts with many years of experience in the online casino industry. The three main features are “automatic cash back”, “no withdrawal requirements”, and “high probability tournaments”. It is especially recommended for those who want to play casino for a long time at a great price!
Types and characteristics of public gambling
Public gambling is a form of betting that is authorized by law to be conducted by special corporations and local governments. It is also known as public games.
There are four types of public competitions: horse racing, bicycle racing, boat racing, and auto racing. Each of these is governed by laws such as the Horse Racing Law, the Bicycle Racing Law, the Motor Boat Racing Law, and the Small Motor Vehicle Racing Law, and is managed by the respective administrative agencies.
In addition, public lotteries such as “lotteries” and “soccer lotteries” are also a type of public gambling.
Here are some of the types and characteristics of public gambling that are permitted by law.
Horse racing
Horse racing is a sport that originated in the United Kingdom, where jockeys ride horses over a set course and distance to compete for the best finish. It is a popular form of gambling in Japan where you can predict the order of arrival and also bet by buying horse tickets.
There are a total of 10 types of horse tickets and various ways to bet, such as “single winner” to predict the horse that will come in first, and “multiple winners” to guess the horse that will come in third.
It is managed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.
Cycle racing event, 2km with a paced start and sprint finish
Bicycle racing is a sport that originated in Japan, where cyclists ride bicycles on a banked track and compete for the best finish.
The interesting thing about bicycle racing is that it is not simply a race of speed, but also a strong element of bargaining with your opponent. The players will try to come up with a variety of strategies for the talks.
It was adopted as an official Olympic sport in 2000 and is a professional sport that represents Japan. It is managed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.
Boat race
Boat racing is a motorboat competition conducted by professional athletes. There are six boats in the race and each boat is assigned a number and color.
After the start of the race, the riders will make three laps around the course in a left-handed direction to determine their positions. Since there are only six boats, it is easy to predict the order of arrival.
It is managed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism.
Auto racing
Auto racing is a competition in which eight motorcycles usually make six laps of a 500-meter race track to determine the order of finish.
It boasts the fastest speed of any public sport, and during the race, you can watch the race while listening to the powerful sound of the engine.
It is managed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.
Lottery
The history of lotteries dates back to the Roman era, 2,000 years ago, and is said to be the oldest form of gambling in the world.
In Japan, it is said to have started in the early Edo period (1603-1868) and has been enjoyed by many people since ancient times.
It is now a form of public gambling, and in addition to regular lotteries, there are various other types of lotteries, such as “scratch” lotteries, which pay a dividend if you scrape off a winning number, and “lotto” lotteries, which allow you to select your own numbers.
In addition to operating costs, the proceeds from the lottery are used to pay for public works and other projects that benefit people’s lives.
Managed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Sports lottery
The sports lottery was introduced in 2001 with the aim of securing financial resources to implement new sports promotion policies, including the development of an environment where everyone, from children to the elderly, can enjoy sports.
Predict the outcome of a given soccer match and the number of goals scored by each team, and receive a payout if you are correct.
There are many types of betting options, such as “toto,” where you make your own predictions, and “BIG,” where you vote randomly by computer.
It is managed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology.
Types and characteristics of national gambling
In Japan, the law prohibits all forms of gambling except for public gambling. However, there is also gambling that is not officially called “gambling” but is familiar to many people as “play” such as pachinko.
Here are some of the types and characteristics of national gambling that are played by a wide range of people.
Pachinko and pachislot
Pachinko operates under the Entertainment Establishments Law and is controlled by the police and the Public Safety Commission.
You can borrow balls and medals to play, and the increased balls and medals can be exchanged for special prizes. The special prizes are then exchanged for cash at the prize exchange.
The barter system, known as the “three-point system,” is used to convert money into cash, but it skirts the laws that prohibit the acquisition of cash.
Therefore, although pachinko is in effect “gambling,” it is not officially classified as gambling.
Mahjong
It is a kind of table game that originated in China, and uses special pieces called “tiles”. This is a game where four players gather around a table called a mahjong table and try to score points by arranging the roles.
The harder it is to get the cards to line up, the higher the score and the winner is the one who holds the most points in the end.
Although the rules are complicated in some respects, the game is popular all over the world.
Types and characteristics of financial instruments
Financial products are products handled by banks, insurance companies, securities companies, etc. The most familiar examples are deposits, insurance, and stocks. Other examples include foreign currency investments in FX and virtual currencies such as Bitcoin.
Here are some of the types of financial products and their features.
Insurance
Insurance is a way to prepare for unforeseen events such as illness or injury by collecting a fixed amount of premiums from people who are anxious. And in the event of damage, the system allows you to receive insurance money from the funds raised.
It is said that insurance began during the Age of Discovery when sailors made bets on whether or not their ships would meet with accidents.
The younger and healthier you are, the lower your premiums will be; on the other hand, those with a higher risk of injury or illness will have higher premiums.
In a way, you could view it as a betting odds.
Forex and stock investment
Forex is an abbreviation for “Foreign Exchange”. We invest by focusing on the price fluctuations of world currencies. The appeal of Forex is that you can start with a small amount of money.
Investing in stocks is a way to invest in various companies in order to earn profits such as dividends and shareholder benefits.
It is difficult to discern stock price fluctuations, so it is important to acquire the right knowledge and gather information in detail.
Virtual currency/ Cryptocurrencies
Virtual currency is a currency traded in electronic data and is mainly used for remittance and settlement on the Internet.
Bitcoin and many other types of virtual currencies have emerged. In addition, Bitcoin, which started out at a few yen, is now attracting attention with a price of several million yen.
Frequently Asked Questions on Types of Gambling
What types of gambling are there in Japan?
In Japan, there are three main types of gambling: “public gambling,” such as horse racing and lotteries, which are recognized by law; “national gambling,” such as pachinko, which is enjoyed by many people as a form of entertainment; and “financial products,” such as insurance and stock investment.
Do you have any gambling recommendations?
Comparing the rate of return for each type of gambling, online casinos have a rate of return of about 97% compared to horse racing (about 76%) and pachinko (about 85%). In terms of the rate of return, online casinos have the advantage.
