Pachinko-style gambling is helping seniors’ brains in Japan
Long associated with semi-legal gambling in Japan, the shrinking pachinko industry may get a new lease on life thanks to a surprising demographic: Old people.
Bolstered by evidence that playing the vertical pinball machines can help prevent dementia, some businesses are now tailoring products and services for seniors in a bid to revive growth.
With Japan’s population getting smaller each year and the government seeking to curb gambling addiction, total spending at pachinko parlors was ¥14.6 trillion ($101.8 billion) in 2022, less than half the level from around two decades ago.
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