Gambling in Japan has undergone significant changes, from gambling as a pastime in ancient times to public gambling in the postwar period and the modern casino bill.
Public gambling serves economic interests and community revitalization.
On the other hand, the reality is that social problems such as gambling addiction have been highlighted.
This article traces the history of gambling in Japan, explaining its development and impact. From the past to the present day and into the future, let’s take a look at the gambling industry in its entirety.
The Beginning of Gambling in Japan
The following headings describe the beginnings of gambling in Japan.
- Origins of Gambling in Ancient Japan
- The prevalence of betting among the aristocracy and the warrior class
- Early Gambling and Religious and Cultural Relations
Understanding the content of each will help you understand the history of gambling. If you are interested, please refer to the following information.
Origins of Gambling in Ancient Japan
The origin of gambling in ancient Japan is very old. The existence of Sugoroku is recorded in the “Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan).
In 689 (3rd year of Emperor Jito’s reign), Emperor Jito issued a “Sugoroku prohibition ordinance,” indicating that gambling activities were considered a problem from that time. Sugoroku had a high gambling nature and was considered to have a negative impact on society.
There are two types of Sugoroku: “Ban Sugoroku” and “E-Sugoroku”. Ban Sugoroku” was introduced from China and was widely enjoyed from the Nara period (710-794) to the Edo period (1603-1868).
Board Sugoroku is a board game similar to backgammon. Since the winner is determined by the roll of the dice, the game was used for gambling due to its high degree of chance.
In contrast, “pictured sugoroku,” which can still be found today, was a popular household pastime during the Edo period.
Thus, gambling has been deeply rooted in Japanese society since ancient times, and gambling games attracted many people.
The prevalence of betting among the aristocracy and the warrior class
The popularity of betting in Japan spread mainly among the aristocracy and the warrior class. During the Kamakura period (1185-1333), warriors enjoyed betting to demonstrate their valor.
In particular, archery and horseback archery contests, such as yabusame (horseback archery) and yabusame (horseback archery on horseback), became popular among the warriors. These contests were not just a display of martial arts, but also became a form of competition involving betting.
Battles for victory or defeat are events in which the honor and wealth of the warriors are at stake. Betting became part of the culture of the warrior class.
In the Warring States period, betting through games became increasingly active among warriors. In between battles, betting was a form of entertainment for fellow warriors.
In fact, it is recorded that war lords and generals enjoyed betting on the battlefield as well.
In the Edo period (1603-1867), betting became popular not only among the samurai class but also among the common people. Betting games such as “hanafuda” (Japanese playing cards) and “karuta” (Japanese playing cards) became popular.
Betting in Japan began with the aristocracy and the warrior class and spread to the common people during the Edo period. It is not just a game, but has continued to evolve up to the present day while maintaining a deep connection with culture and society.
Early Gambling and Religious and Cultural Relations
Gambling in ancient Japan developed in deep connection with religion and culture. The most fundamental desire, the human desire to know the future, is deeply connected to the origins of gambling and fortune telling.
Especially in ancient times, tools for divination similar to dice were used, which later evolved into gambling.
For example, there is a known method of divining one’s destiny by throwing the ankle bones (astragalus) of sheep and goats. It was used far back as one of the oldest types of dice.
In India and Europe, divination was also practiced using nuts, twigs, and bone fragments, and the results were believed to be the will of the gods.
In Japan, too, there is a history of fortune-telling and lotteries that have played an important cultural and religious role since ancient times. The act of praying to a deity and divining good or bad fortune not only determined the fate of an individual, but also affected society as a whole.
As described in the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), there were instances in which the results of fortune-telling were used to make political decisions, and betting existed as a religious ritual.
Beginning with ancient religious rituals, people not only used dice and lots to divine their destiny, but also to enjoy them as entertainment.
This led to the later development of betting. For example, simple betting using dice became widespread during the Sengoku period (1467-1568) and further developed during the Edo period (1603-1868), becoming a popular pastime for the common people.
In conclusion, ancient gambling was not just a pastime. It had religious connotations and played an important role in predicting people’s destiny and the future of society.
Medieval Japan and Gambling: Betting among Samurai and Commoners
How was gambling connected to Japan in the Middle Ages?
- The Spread of Betting Culture in Medieval Japan
- Gambling as a “gamble”
The above headings are explained in turn. If you would like to know more about the history of gambling, please check it out.
The Spread of Betting Culture in Medieval Japan
In medieval Japan, gambling became popular among samurai and commoners. Especially, gambling with dice became very popular.
A typical example is the “Chohan Hakucho” game, familiar from period dramas, where the rule was simply to guess whether the two dice would come up even (Chou) or odd (Han).
Betting with dice became popular among the common people, and gambling flourished, especially among the common classes.
However, there is a strong culture in Japanese society that despises gambling and regards labor as a virtue. As a result, there was a tendency to view gambling as a “yakuza-like” activity.
On the other hand, betting was also practiced by the warrior class, and bets were placed on battlefield victories and defeats, archery, horsemanship, and other games.
Especially during the Warring States period, the uncertainty of warfare encouraged people to take a gamble, and it is said that gambling became a popular activity.
In the Edo period (1603-1867), betting games such as karuta (Japanese playing cards) and hanafuda (Japanese playing cards) also became popular among the general populace. While these games were a source of excitement for the town, the Edo shogunate enforced restrictions and crackdowns on gambling.
Nonetheless, the common people continued to gamble and enjoy gambling underground. Karuta (Japanese playing cards) and Hanafuda (Japanese playing cards) from the Edo period (1603-1867) still remain as traditional Japanese betting games and have become part of the culture.
Gambling as a “gamble”
In medieval Japan, gambling as a form of gambling was widely practiced by everyone from the common people to the warrior class.
The word “hachi” refers to the act of placing bets on the outcome of luck or chance. In Japanese society at that time, it was popular among many people as a form of entertainment and sideshow.
In medieval Japan, gambling was popular as a kind of entertainment, yet its existence was always considered a social problem. Many people became addicted to betting and many lost their fortunes.
Such risks were seen as problematic, and lords and shogunate in various regions tightened their crackdowns.
Despite these restrictions, however, people continued to gamble underground, and the gambling halls continued to linger.
Gambling has a history of existing between regulation and policing while spreading to all segments of society.
Gambling in the Meiji Era: Modernization and Gambling Laws
This section provides a thorough explanation of gambling in the Meiji era.
- Changes in Gambling in the Meiji Era
- Crackdown on gambling with the passage of modern gambling laws
- Public gambling begins.
The Meiji Era marked a major change in the history of gambling. So what exactly happened during the Meiji Era?
Let’s check on that mystery.
Changes in Gambling in the Meiji Era
In the Meiji period (1868-1912), Japan underwent rapid modernization under the influence of Western culture. In the process, the forms of gambling also changed.
Horse racing was legalized with the support of Emperor Meiji. Introduced from the West, horse racing grew in popularity in Japan, and racetracks were established throughout the country.
Initially enjoyed by the upper classes and foreign residents, it gradually spread to the general public as a form of entertainment and became an established form of gambling.
The Meiji government developed the Horse Racing Law with the aim of using the profits from horse racing as public funds. As a form of public gambling, horse racing has come to contribute to securing the nation’s financial resources.
Thus, the Meiji period was an important time for the emergence of modern gambling and the development of laws. It was also the period when the foundations of gambling culture in Japan were laid.
Crackdown on gambling with the passage of modern gambling laws
As laws were developed during the Meiji period, new forms of gambling were created and crackdowns on gambling became stricter. After the Meiji Restoration, the new government established unified penal laws and regulations in an effort to modernize the country.
The “Provisional Penal Code and Miscellaneous Offenses” and the “New Code of Discipline” were enacted as penal regulations, and gambling was prohibited.
For example, in the “New Code of Discipline” of 1870 (Meiji 3), those who engaged in gambling were sentenced to imprisonment, and the sale of gambling equipment was also subject to control.
However, the distinction between “gambling” and “light wagering” from the Edo period remained ambiguous, leading to confusion over the scope and treatment of gambling regulations.
A major turning point in the control of such gambling came in 1880, when the “Penal Code” was enacted.
The Penal Code here now imposes fines and imprisonment on those who establish gambling establishments and those who participate in gambling.
A person who opens a gambling hall is subject to imprisonment for a term of not less than three months and not more than one year. Participants are subject to imprisonment for a term of not less than one month and not more than six months, and a fine.
In addition, only when gambling is “actually taking place” can it be enforced as a crime in progress.
The strictness of these regulations led organizers to adopt ingenious means of concealing evidence of gambling. By the time the police arrived on the scene, the evidence was often already covered up.
Evolving with new legislation, forms of gambling and policing methods changed dramatically. Meanwhile, the influence of gambling’s roots in society expanded.
Public gambling begins.
Gambling in the Meiji Era underwent major changes along with the influence of Western culture. After the Meiji Restoration, the new government hurried to establish laws as a modern nation, but regulations related to gambling continued to be confusing.
On the other hand, the Meiji government has a history of legalizing modern gambling and publicizing some forms of gambling. As mentioned earlier, horse racing spread across the country with the support of Emperor Meiji, and racetracks were established.
Initially popularized as a pastime for the upper classes, it gradually spread to the entire nation. In addition, lotteries were introduced and used as a source of government revenue.
Thus, some gambling activities became legal. The culture of gambling permeated society in a new way.
Gambling in Postwar Japan
Gambling in postwar Japan is presented under the following headings.
- The Reemergence of Gambling in the Postwar Reconstruction Era
- Introduction of bicycle and boat racing and its social background
- The spread of pachinko and gambling as a popular culture
This was a time when gambling activity was still very active in the postwar period. Check out the full story as it is explained.
The Reemergence of Gambling in the Postwar Reconstruction Era
In postwar Japan, gambling is once again coming back to life. As public gambling, it contributed greatly to reconstruction efforts.
Against the backdrop of economic conditions during the postwar reconstruction period, local governments began to focus on public gambling in search of financial support. Typical examples of gambling that were revived and popularized during this period include horse racing, bicycle racing, boat racing, and auto racing.
Horse racing, which had been conducted since prewar times, resumed in 1946 with the Central Horse Racing Association taking the lead in ticket sales. In 1948, the “Bicycle Racing Law” was enacted, officially recognizing bicycle racing as public gambling.
In addition, auto racing was legislated in 1950, and boat racing in 1951, to be operated as public gambling.
In the postwar Japanese economy, public gambling was an important source of revenue for local governments. Proceeds from horse racing, bicycle and boat races were used for public works and welfare projects by local governments.
Introduction of bicycle and boat racing and its social context
In the postwar period, public gambling became an important source of financial support for local governments. During the reconstruction period, public gambling such as horse racing, bicycle racing, boat racing, and auto racing were established one after another.
Many municipalities took advantage of these to restore their finances.
As mentioned earlier, public gambling has become an important source of revenue for local governments and has contributed significantly to their fiscal recovery.
In addition, proceeds from bicycle and boat races were used to fund public works projects, infrastructure development, and welfare programs.
Thus, public gambling in postwar Japan played an important role in supporting local economies.
From many backgrounds, public gambling was established and continues to serve Japan.
The spread of pachinko and gambling as a popular culture
In postwar Japan, pachinko rapidly spread as a popular pastime for the common people. It began as a modification of prewar amusement machines that remained in rural areas after the war.
In 1945, the revolutionary “Masamura Gauge,” a revolutionary nail arrangement devised by Takeichi Masamura, the “God of Pachinko,” made a major change.
This increased the thrill and unexpectedness that players could gain, and triggered the first pachinko boom.
Later, in the late 1950s, a series of pachinko machines that could automatically launch balls were introduced, further accelerating the boom. There were more than 45,000 pachinko parlors in the country.
However, with the advent of the sequential-shot type, gambling became more gambling-oriented and large prizes became easily obtainable. As a result, the buying of prizes on the street increased, drawing social criticism.
In 1954, a ban on the continuous-shot type was put in place, and the single-shot type returned to the mainstream again. The regulations led to a sharp decline in the number of pachinko parlors nationwide, shrinking to less than 10,000.
However, pachinko machine manufacturers focused on developing machines that did not rely on gambling nature, and new models with enhanced play elements were introduced in the 1960s. In addition, technological innovations such as automatic ball-lending machines and ball supply systems were introduced, and stores became more labor-saving and larger in size.
Through the 1960s, the number of suburban pachinko parlors increased in response to the trend toward motorization. A number of bowling alleys were converted to bowling alleys, resulting in a series of store conversions.
The number of pachinko parlors continued to hover around 10,000 for about 20 years. While the number of pachinko parlors changed with the times, it remained firmly rooted as a popular pastime for the general public.
Modern Public Gambling
A deep dive into current public gambling.
- How public gambling works today and why it is so popular
- Evolution of Technology and the Emergence of Online Gambling
This is a great way to check out the changes that are taking place and the inner workings of the game. If you are not familiar with current public gambling, please read through to the end.
How public gambling works today and why it is so popular
Four types of modern public gambling are operated as government-approved betting: horse racing, boat racing, bicycle racing, and auto racing.
Each has a long history and a large fan base that enjoys predicting the outcome of races and purchasing voting tickets.
Below are the structure and characteristics of each competition.
originally two horses head-to-head or ten at a time, esp. May 5th event at Kamigamo shrine
Horse racing, in which jockeys race horses for position, is the most well-known form of public gambling. Horse racing is supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, and there are 10 racetracks throughout Japan.
It boasts a very large market, with sales of approximately 2.8 trillion yen in 2018. Its popularity is due to the fact that it is difficult to predict how the race will unfold, and there is a lot of strategic fun involved.
boat race
Boat racing, also known as “martial arts on the water,” is characterized by the speedy and intense competition among six boats as they race each other through narrow waterways.
Boat racing is overseen by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, and there are 24 boat racecourses throughout Japan. Sales reached about 1.4 trillion yen in 2018, and in recent years, due to the influence of social networking sites, there are many young fans.
keirin
Bicycle racing is the only form of public gambling in which bicycles are raced by human power. There are 43 bicycle racetracks throughout Japan under the supervision of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
With sales of approximately 650 billion yen in 2018, it is very popular among young people. Its predictability and thrilling developments have attracted many fans.
autoracing
Auto racing is a motorcycle-based competition in which six motorcycles compete for first place while traveling at high speed on a race track.
Many athletes, such as former SMAP member Mori Katsuyuki, are well known for their competitions and their media exposure.
Such auto racing is overseen by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, with sales of about 70.4 billion yen in 2018. Speedy races and customized motorcycles are a sight to behold if you are a man.
Thus, public gambling is gaining popularity because it is easy to participate and offers excitement and thrills. Another major factor is that online voting has become available, lowering the barriers to participation.
Evolution of Technology and the Emergence of Online Gambling
The basic structure of public gambling today is supported by a system called the totalizator. The totalizator is a computerized system that handles everything from the release of ballots to refunds.
Fast and flexible, it offers convenience to participants. It is easy for anyone to use, making it less difficult to enter the market.
In addition, the proliferation of online voting has made it even easier to participate in gambling. In particular, participation using smartphones is gaining popularity among younger people.
As technology and online and other systems continue to proliferate, we can expect to see the rise of online casinos in Japan.
The Casino Bill and the Future of Japan’s Gambling Industry
The casino bill and the future of Japan’s gambling industry are questions that need to be answered.
- Background and Purpose of the Passage of the Casino Bill
- Impact of Integrated Resorts (IR) and Casinos
- The Future of Gambling and Internationalization in Japan
Reviewing each will give you a deeper understanding of the possibilities and risks of gambling in the future. If you would like to become more knowledgeable, please refer to the following pages.
Background and Purpose of the Passage of the Casino Bill
The Act on the Development of Specified Complex Tourist Attraction Areas (IR Development Act), enacted on July 20, 2018, is designed to introduce integrated resorts (IR), including casinos, to Japan.
The law here was passed based on the IR Promotion Law, which was passed at the end of 2016, about six months later than the originally planned implementation.
The background to the passage of such a casino bill (IR Development Law) has two meanings: strengthening Japan’s tourism industry and economic revitalization.
The three main objectives are
- Promoting the Tourism Industry
The goal of integrated resorts (IR), including casinos, is to attract tourists from Japan and abroad and help Japan grow as a tourism powerhouse. It is hoped that IRs will secure a revenue stream centered on tourism and revitalize the economy as a whole. - Revitalizing Local Economies
By establishing IRs in each region, we also aim to promote local economies. They include not only casinos, but also diverse facilities such as hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, and conference halls, which will bring economic benefits to the region through tourist consumption activities. - Improving Public Finances
Tax revenues from casinos and from tourism consumption are expected to contribute to improving local and national government finances. For local governments facing financial difficulties, revenues from IR are an important source of revenue and a means to achieve economic revitalization.
The passage of the casino bill is expected to bring benefits such as increased tourism and improved finances. Promotion of policies that take into account appropriate management systems and social impacts will be key to future development.
Impact of Integrated Resorts (IR) and Casinos
The introduction of integrated resorts (IR) and casinos has attracted attention as a new development in the gambling industry in Japan, and the IR Development Law was passed with the aim of strengthening the tourism industry, revitalizing local economies, and improving the financial situation.
However, its impact has been controversial on many fronts.
The revenue structure of casinos relies on customers continuing to place frequent bets, putting them at high risk for gambling addiction. There are concerns about the increased social costs of addiction and the increase in crime.
In addition, IR revenues are dependent on casinos. There is a high risk that local residents will spend money at the casinos, negatively impacting the local economy by reducing other spending.
Thus, the introduction of integrated resorts and casinos will be a policy aimed at promoting the tourism industry and revitalizing local economies. On the other hand, risks such as gambling addiction and its impact on the local economy must also be considered.
The Future of Gambling and Internationalization in Japan
The future of gambling in Japan could change dramatically with the introduction of integrated resorts (IR).
It is believed that the increase in tourists resulting from the introduction of an IR will stimulate the local economy and create new employment opportunities. In particular, casino revenues will be an important source of revenue and are likely to contribute to increased tax revenues and regional infrastructure development.
On the other hand, the social impact of the introduction of IRs requires a cautious approach. The greatest concern is the increase in gambling addiction.
Casinos have adopted a business model that relies on high-frequency betting customers to generate revenue. As a result, the risk of addiction is increased.
The future of gambling in Japan is undergoing a major transformation through the introduction of IR. Its success will depend on the balance between the growth of the tourism industry and social risks.
Along with the economic benefits, measures to combat addiction and maintain public safety will be essential.
Summary
Gambling in Japan has a long history. From the ancient gambling culture to the development of public gambling and the modern casino bill, it has undergone a long transition over time.
Horse racing and bicycle racing played a major role during the postwar economic recovery period, and pachinko also became popular as a pastime for the general public. Today, the industry has entered a new phase, with the introduction of integrated resorts (IR), including casinos, being discussed.
On the other hand, gambling has both economic benefits and risks, and measures to combat addiction are a major challenge. As we aim to promote tourism and revitalize local economies, the implementation of sound gambling policies will be essential for future development.
