A post claiming to be from a pachinko parlor manager pleaded that “at this rate, every pachinko parlor in Japan will go bankrupt,” sparking a wave of discussion on 5ch. The thread debated the industry’s future, touching on how the player base keeps shrinking even as average spending per customer keeps climbing, and the knock-on effect on anime productions that have long relied on pachinko money.
"I'll say it straight. At this rate, in 20 years there won't be a single pachinko parlor left standing in Japan.
Is that really what you want?
Do you honestly think we pachinko halls have unlimited money?
Is that really what you want?
Do you honestly think we pachinko halls have unlimited money?
Pachinko parlor managers are just regular salaried employees, yet they end up starring in goofy commercials and plastered on shop banners — sounds rough.
>>12
And on top of that, the manager's the one who ends up hated by the customers too.
And on top of that, the manager's the one who ends up hated by the customers too.
Pachinko machine makers will probably survive just fine even without the parlors, somehow.
>>19
Most of the makers have other business lines going anyway.
Most of the makers have other business lines going anyway.
Public gambling like horse racing, keirin, and boat racing can pick up the slack, so no problem. Even if you get fleeced, at least the money goes back to the government — unlike pachinko, it's not funding North Korean missiles or whatever.
>>20
The gameplay is totally different, so it's not really picking up the slack.
If anything, we NEED it to become the safety net.
The gameplay is totally different, so it's not really picking up the slack.
If anything, we NEED it to become the safety net.
>>20
Just because someone likes gambling doesn't mean they like every kind of gambling.
Just because someone likes gambling doesn't mean they like every kind of gambling.
Glad I turned down Sammy [pachinko machine maker]. The pay was amazing back in those days though.
>>32
Turning down Sammy seems like a waste — they're not just a pachinko company.
Turning down Sammy seems like a waste — they're not just a pachinko company.
>>32
SEGA: "Come work for us instead." (Sammy and SEGA are sister companies under SEGA Sammy Holdings)
SEGA: "Come work for us instead." (Sammy and SEGA are sister companies under SEGA Sammy Holdings)
Isn't it actually a good thing if it collapses?
>>54
Renting pachinko balls is subject to consumption tax, so ironically it's the people who DON'T play pachinko who'd be worse off if the industry went under.
Renting pachinko balls is subject to consumption tax, so ironically it's the people who DON'T play pachinko who'd be worse off if the industry went under.
>>54
A lot of former pachinko parlor lots out in the suburbs just sit abandoned as-is — not sure that's really a good thing.
A lot of former pachinko parlor lots out in the suburbs just sit abandoned as-is — not sure that's really a good thing.
The three great pachinko-addict theories:
・"I'm winning overall."
・"I didn't lose, I just banked it at the parlor."
・"I had fun AND they gave some of it back — that's practically generous of them."
・"I'm winning overall."
・"I didn't lose, I just banked it at the parlor."
・"I had fun AND they gave some of it back — that's practically generous of them."
>>99
I earned positive expected value.
I earned positive expected value.
>>100
Yeah, that one's a classic too.
Yeah, that one's a classic too.
>>100
I mean, I really am earning positive EV.
I mean, I really am earning positive EV.
Apparently the player population has dropped a lot since the industry's peak, but profits haven't fallen nearly as much — people say that just means they've gotten more efficient at squeezing money out of a smaller pool of players.
>>108
Even Maruhan [Japan's biggest pachinko chain] has reportedly nearly halved in the past decade… The scary part is that average spending per customer keeps rising in inverse proportion.
Even Maruhan [Japan's biggest pachinko chain] has reportedly nearly halved in the past decade… The scary part is that average spending per customer keeps rising in inverse proportion.
>>112
An industry trying to make up for losing customers by squeezing the remaining ones harder — that's a death star shining way too bright (a Fist of the North Star reference to an omen of doom).
An industry trying to make up for losing customers by squeezing the remaining ones harder — that's a death star shining way too bright (a Fist of the North Star reference to an omen of doom).
>>112
Well yeah, the price per ball keeps climbing, so of course. And with the machines tightened up on top of that, there's no way to win.
Well yeah, the price per ball keeps climbing, so of course. And with the machines tightened up on top of that, there's no way to win.
If the pachinko industry collapses, all that manpower and money would flow into other industries and Japan would bounce back.
>>135
Sounds like it'd just get siphoned off by sports betting instead — a system that sends the money straight overseas.
Sounds like it'd just get siphoned off by sports betting instead — a system that sends the money straight overseas.
>>135
If that alone were enough to revive Japan, the economy should already be booming.
In reality, as tax revenue from pachinko drops, the burden just shifts onto people who don't even play.
If that alone were enough to revive Japan, the economy should already be booming.
In reality, as tax revenue from pachinko drops, the burden just shifts onto people who don't even play.
There are anime that only got sequels made thanks to pachinko money, you know.
If it disappears, the anime industry could be in trouble.
If it disappears, the anime industry could be in trouble.
>>149
Is it really that many though?
Is it really that many though?
>>149
Can't be helped, switch over to casino money then.
Can't be helped, switch over to casino money then.
>>149
Evangelion was basically made entirely on pachinko money, right?
Evangelion was basically made entirely on pachinko money, right?
>>152
Symphogear and Basilisk too. Though apparently Basilisk's "Ouka" spin-off, made banking on pachinko money, turned out so bad that a pachinko or slot machine for Ouka doesn't look promising.
Symphogear and Basilisk too. Though apparently Basilisk's "Ouka" spin-off, made banking on pachinko money, turned out so bad that a pachinko or slot machine for Ouka doesn't look promising.
>>157
Symphogear was already popular on its own lol
Symphogear was already popular on its own lol
>>157
Sorry, don't know either one of those.
Sorry, don't know either one of those.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “Pachinko Parlor Manager Snaps: ‘Final Warning — At This Rate, Every Pachinko Parlor in Japan Will Go Bankrupt’”.