Japan
Japan
+3
Sep 8, 2026
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2 min read
Why New Pachislot Machines Are Struggling to Reach Japan’s Halls
Before a new pachislot machine reaches a Japanese gaming hall, its manufacturer must prove that the cabinet, software and payout behaviour comply with one of the industry’s strictest technical regimes.
Japan
+3
Sep 2, 2026
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2 min read
JRA Is Expanding Beyond WINS — Without Building Its Own Betting Shops
As traditional off-track sales decline, Japan’s racing giant is extending its reach through venues shared with regional racing, keirin and autoracing.
Japan
+2
Aug 18, 2026
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4 min read
Too Useful to Ban: How Horse Racing Became Japan’s Acceptable Gamble
Horse betting survived Japan’s prohibition of gambling because racing had already become a national project, a professional sport and an institution the state considered worth preserving.
Japan
+1
Aug 12, 2026
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2 min read
JRA keeps WINS Yatsushiro shut after Kumamoto earthquake and pledges ¥16 million in relief
The Japan Racing Association suspended operations at its Yatsushiro off-track betting facility for two consecutive weekends as the region deals with the aftermath of the July 28 earthquake.
Japan
+2
Aug 9, 2026
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3 min read
Toyomaru Stops Making Pachinko Machines After Six Decades
The company behind Nanasy has ended its pachinko operations as Japan’s traditional machine market continues to contract—even while pachislot shows signs of resilience.
Japan
+2
Aug 3, 2026
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3 min read
Street Fighter 6 Enters Japan’s Pachislot Floors
Capcom’s seven-million-selling fighting game becomes a medal-free smart slot, extending the franchise from consoles and esports into one of Japan’s most distinctive forms of entertainment.
Japan
+1
Aug 2, 2026
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2 min read
Japan’s US$16 Billion Boat-Racing Market Reaches the Ocean Cup Final
Six boats will race across Lake Biwa on Sunday. Behind them sits one of Japan’s largest—and least internationally understood—legal betting industries.
