Pachinko is a game so popular in Japan that it has been the cornerstone of all gaming and gambling in the country for more than a century.
It has captured the attention of millions, with roots that can be traced back to the 1920s, when it emerged as a children's toy called the “Corinth game”.
This game was inspired by the American “Corinthian bagatelle” and the European “Billard japonais” (Japanese billiards), which was invented in Western Europe during the 18th century.
Pachinko's transition from a children's pastime to an adult entertainment began in Nagoya around 1930, and by 1948, the first commercial pachinko parlour opened its doors in Nagoya.
It was the beginning of pachinko's journey to becoming a national phenomenon in Japan.
At its peak in 1995, there were 18,244 pachinko parlours across the country. Although the number has declined in recent years, there were still 7,665 parlours operating in 2022.
Despite the decrease, pachinko remains a significant part of Japan's economy. In 2021, the market in Japan was valued at 14.6 trillion yen (approximately $98 billion USD).
To put this into perspective, pachinko accounts for about 63% of Japan's gambling market.
It's also worth noting that in 2015, Japan's pachinko market generated more gambling revenue than that of Las Vegas, Macau, and Singapore combined.
So now you're probably wondering why I'm telling you all of this. Well, it looks like the thrill and fascination with pachinko has moved beyond Japan and is becoming equally as popular in the UK, just not in the way you think.
Pachinko Scratch Card
Neko Games has partnered with Microgaming to deliver classic Pachinko as part of their scratch games online portfolio.
It is an instant win game where you have to try and match patterns of numbers on four game cards by landing the corresponding numbered balls.
The premise is simple. Select your bet level and note that it will be multiplied by four, as there are four tickets on the card.
As soon as press the ‘Play' button, 30 balls roll down to come to rest at the bottom of the screen. The numbers on the tickets are marked off as the balls come down, with any winning patterns are highlighted and you win.
If you are unlucky enough not to end up with any winning lines, there is an option to buy up to 10 extra balls in a bid to make new winning patterns.
Just remember though, each additional ball you purchase will cost incrementally more. So make sure you have a decent shot at winning or your losses could mount up.
Unlike the original game of Pachinko the online scratch card version has a few extra bonuses that come in very handy.
There are random bonuses that can award free balls and special picks. The highest payouts can be won on every ticket and every bet is played across four tickets, so is multiplied by four.
Plus, best of all, it is incredibly easy to play
Is The Scratch Card Like The Japanese Game?
With a lot of themed scratch cards, particularly those online, it is almost impossible to replicate the real thing but this scratch card does come close.
With elements of chance and skill, in the original game players purchase small metal balls, typically priced at about 4 yen each, often bought in bulk.
The balls are then loaded into the pachinko machine, and players use a knob to launch the balls into the machine, where they bounce off numerous brass pins. Think of a pinball machine.
The goal in Pachinko is to direct the balls into certain pockets or holes that trigger a jackpot.
If successful, the machine releases more balls as a reward, which can be used for further play or exchanged for prizes.
The skill comes from knowing how hard to launch the balls to find the optimal path to the winning pockets. However, there's also a significant element of chance involved, as each ball that enters a winning pocket triggers a slot machine-like mechanism that determines the number of additional balls won.
In terms of the scratch card, instead of directing a ball into a winning pocket, players are hoping to match the ball numbers to those on the card. There isn't as much control over that element but the idea of being rewarded with extra balls to keep playing is the same.
Potential Winnings
In Japan, the potential winnings in pachinko are not straightforward due to the country's gambling laws, which are notoriously stringent.
Officially, gambling for cash is illegal in Japan however, pachinko parlours operate through a legal loophole that allows players to exchange their winnings for prizes rather than cash directly.
Typically, winning players receive a ticket or card that can be exchanged at a separate vendor, often located near the parlour, for cash or other valuable items. This indirect exchange system is what allows pachinko to operate within the bounds of the law.
Thankfully that does not apply to the UK online scratch card version of the game so if you win, you win and your winnings go straight into your online casino account and can be withdrawn as cash.
A win on the scratchcard is triggered when you land all the numbers around the edge of any ticket. This triggers a bonus where a five-level shelf appears, with various Maneki-Nekos – the little waving lucky cats.
You then select one, and it holds up either a prize value or exit on its board. If it's a prize, you move up a level and choose another cat. You keep doing that until you have no more cats to choose from, or you get an ‘Exit' sign.
Whatever you have won from all the cats is added together, and that's your prize.
Is It Worth Playing?
In terms of online scratch cards, Pachinko definitely has more going for it than a bog standard card.
So many scratch and win instant games are quite boring, offering very little beyond matching three symbols so this has definitely upped the entertainment factor.
It's also clever to offer additional balls to complete winning lines, so a bit of skill is also required, again elevating it beyond the ‘reveal all' that so many other cards have.
And, with tiered winnings that can keep coming as long as you choose the right cats, there's a lot of excitement as you never know how far you can go.
Overall, if you enjoy online scratch cards that offer more than the basics, you could do a lot worse than checking out Pachinko.