Top Online Gambling Activities in Japanese Online Casinos
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Not so long ago, Japan opened up to the thrills of online gambling at casinos.
While the country has some of the strictest online gambling laws today, casino enthusiasts are already experiencing the fun of playing for real money online at various casino sites, for example, at 大吉カジノ.
Ever since, the market has witnessed fast growth, with many players enjoying their time on top-ranked casino sites.
The number and variety of games players have access to is already big – and growing.
We’ll discuss the options in this article.
Games Played in Online Japanese Casinos
Slot Machines
Slot games are the most numerous and popular in Japan. Similar to the pachinko game, which originates from Japan, slot machines are easy to play, can offer tremendous winnings, and are widely available in the country.
Right now, Japanese players can find hundreds of top-rated slot titles available in demo and real money mode. They can play:
- Classic slots
- Fruit slots
- 3D slots
- Video slots
- Jackpot slots
The options are close to unlimited, really. If you are a fan of slot machines and play in Japan, you can get access to machines with different numbers of reels, a combination of great features and bonuses, etc.
Sports Betting
Next on the list of most popular gambling activities in Japan is sports betting. The Japanese love sports, so placing wagers on matches was instantly a welcomed idea in the country. These days, Japanese bet on football, rugby, soccer, basketball, baseball, and handball – everything you can think of. They place wagers on matches that will start in the future, as well as bet on sports live.
Pachinko
As we mentioned, Pachinko is a game originating from Japan. This is a mechanical arcade game that’s very popular in gambling circles. It offers low-strategy, low-stakes gambling like most slots.
You’ll find many Pachinko parlors across Japan, and they operate similarly to traditional casinos. If you are up for a big choice of Pachinkos in combination with thousands of slots, the online gambling industry is without a match.
You should also know that Pachinko is not a game played for cash in Japan because of the laws. However, players have found a loophole. For starters, they trade the money they win to the parlor for special prize tokens that they later sell for cash at vendors located off-premises. Or, the more popular option is playing these games online at offshore casinos that offer them, with the option to withdraw money whenever they want.
Baccarat
Baccarat is one of the favorite casino games of Japanese players, especially popular among high rollers. The game doesn’t come with many rules, and it still requires some skills and strategies. It’s pretty simple – you need to get a total that is as close as possible to 9. The person that’s closest to this number wins the game.
Here is where things get really fun. You can bet on yourself or the banker – or a tie based on your cards and your strategy. There are also many variations of the game that differ in features and rules. The most popular in Japan are:
- Punto Banco
- Chemin de Fer
- Baccarat Banque
Poker
Poker is a game played by many in Japan and in all of its variants. Players in this country love placing their wagers and testing their strategies in the game of poker. They often play it live at live casinos because of the immersive experience it offers.
The most popular variants of poker in Japan these days include:
- Texas Hold’Em
- 7 Card Stud Poker
- 5 Card Draw Poker
- Omaha High
Roulette
Roulette is an all-time favorite among casino enthusiasts. Now that it is available online, Japanese players often enjoy spinning the wheel of their favorite game. It’s one of those games with a growing number of variants, each more exciting than the last one. These days, players often prefer playing roulette in live versions for a more immersive, engaging experience.
The most popular versions remain American, European, and French roulette. These are three variants that are found in almost all online casinos.
Lottery
The lottery is an exciting game, and if played online, it often comes with big jackpot prizes and bonuses in the form of free lottery tickets. It’s no wonder that this is one of the most popular forms of gambling in Japan! The thrill is great, and the game is based on luck. The most popular forms of the lottery at online casinos are:
- Mini Lotto
- Jumbo Lottery
- Lotto 6
- Scratch cards
Live Dealer Games
Live dealer games weren’t available to Japanese players for too long, and it seems like they are trying to catch up – that’s how much gamblers in this country love to live dealer titles! These games are run by professional dealers and feature casino equipment such as the roulette wheel or the poker table.
Players in Japan enjoy gambling in real-time with a live dealer and often choose games like roulette, poker, blackjack, and baccarat.
Dragon Tiger
Finally, we have another Japanese game that’s trending in online casinos. Dragon Tiger is essentially a variant of Baccarat, but it deserves a separate spot in the list because of its popularity. The game has simpler gameplay. The goal of the player is to bet on the Dragon or the Tiger and choose who will win. The hand that receives a higher card wins. That’s how simple it is.
If the dragon and the tiger have cards of the same value, you get half of the money you bet back.
What’s It Like to Gamble in Japan?
Casinos were legalized in the country in 2018, but the laws remain very strict. This is not strange, considering that all forms of gambling were illegal for a very long time in this Asian country. For the longest time, the only thing gamblers could enjoy was Pachinko at parlors without the option to withdraw their winnings in cash.
Technically, there isn’t a single body of legislation that regulates gambling operations in Japan today. Unlike in other countries, this one doesn’t have a centralized gambling authority. This doesn’t mean it is not regulated, though. There are different government sectors that regulate gaming.
Three casinos were supposed to open by 2020, but this was postponed due to the pandemic. The Casino Administration Committee in Japan is tasked with licensing the land-based casinos in the country, set up in Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka.
