The world of online gambling in the West mostly comprises of online slots and online variants of blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and poker. Those are the most popular casino games of all time, with rare new additions to that line-up. However, in many countries around the world, other games take the center stage. Take pachinko in Japan, for example. It may not be known outside of Japan, but for the Japanese, it’s the best gambling machine.

In the simplest terms, pachinko can be described as part casino game and part arcade. It also reminds players of pinball or a slot game. A pachinko machine can be found in special parlors where the Japanese spend hours looking for the next big win. The popular game has also found its way into online casinos and has lately been adapted to live casinos as well.

According to statistics, 1 in 11 people plays the game every day in Japan. It has deeply embedded itself in the fabric of Japanese society, although it holds a stigma due to the cultural milieu in the period it was invented.

The History of Pachinko and Min Jin Lee Novel

The pachinko machine was invented in Japan sometime during the 1920s. In the beginning, they were considered a game for children, although their real origin has other roots. The game was developed to give foreign (Korean) workers a job that’s safe from discrimination. This is a far cry from the reputation pachinko slots have today. Players from all walks of life enjoy them every day which shows how far they’ve come.

In the beginning, every pachinko machine in Japan was considered the lowest form of entertainment. However, their popularity grew, especially after World War II. At that point, Koreans and the Japanese had a problem with unemployment. The necessity for work gave birth to pachinko parlors which were initially controlled by the Yakuza. They controlled the conversion from prize to cash, yet players from Japan obviously didn’t mind.

In the following decades, pachinko games became even more popular. The game with steel balls has a huge following in Japan nowadays, even though it exists in a legal gray area. It even inspired Min Jin Lee’s popular novel Pachinko which talks about the racial stereotypes of a Korean family that immigrates to Japan.

Pachinko Parlors – a Key Piece of Japanese Society

Modern-day pachinko parlors are not exactly legal. They’re not illegal either. As a matter of fact, they exist in a legal grey area due to a loophole in the legal system.

Gambling is mostly illegal in Japan. Apart from race betting and horse racing, all other activities are banned. However, pachinko continues to be popular in parlors because you’re not winning cash prizes. You can use your tokens to get prizes such as purses, notebooks, and other stuff, which can later be exchanged for cash.

These prizes are converted at a special location that’s not associated with a parlor. This is how people who play pachinko games turn some cash in after a successful round of pachinko.

From the Pachinko Parlor to the Internet

While pachinko game parlors are still popular in Japan, the West got their own version online. Online pachinko slot games are not as popular as the real deal, but they’re gaining traction outside of Asia.

Just like many other casino games, pachinko broke through to the West and got its own Internet variant. Or to be more specific, variants. Developers target players from Japan and Korea and want to keep them entertained with new variants of the game that promise instant cash rewards this time around.

Lately, the live casino industry has expressed a huge interest in pachinko. While there’s no special game to play, the Asian slot machine makes an appearance through bonus rounds.

Playing a Pachinko Balls Slot Machine

Playing the game is super easy. We already said that it resembles a slot machine. There’s a lever to pull that starts the game, but before you do that, there’s another step.

Before the game begins, you need to exchange your tokens for steel balls. You can get as many balls as you want to, with each one costing 4 yen. You use a card to exchange tokens for the balls, then pull the lever to launch them forward into the machine’s bank. What you can win is different depends on the machine itself. Some keep the gameplay straightforward; others have minigames and or a jackpot that offer bigger prizes.

When the metal balls land in the winning holes, you get more as a prize. These can either be collected or used to keep playing. At the end of the session, you can exchange your balls for tickets or prizes, which can later be exchanged for cash.

Of course, online pachinko variants are different, although they try their best to stay true to the game. Obviously, you’ll be using virtual balls this time, but still, the gameplay essence remains the same.

Some developers have decided to include a legacy lever in their games, others are based completely on buttons. It’s up to you what you choose.

Modern Online Pachinko Machines

As mentioned earlier, the popular Japanese machines eventually found their way online. Casinos in the West offer modern pachinko online slot machines which stay as true as possible to the original gameplay. The biggest difference is that you won’t need to go to a designated location to claim your winnings. These machines pay cash prizes right away.

While still a virtual unknown in the West, more and more developers are becoming attracted to the game of pachinko. It’s making a dent in the live casino industry as well, although it’ll be some time before we see full-blown live casino pachinko machines.

Live Casino Pachinko

Live dealer games are the greatest achievement of the online gambling industry. They are still new, but in just a span of a few years, they’ve become the most dominant game. Slots still rule the industry, but live dealer games are getting pretty close.

What’s their appeal? That’s easy – they replicate the atmosphere of a real casino. That was a notable missing factor from online casino games, and developers have found a way to include it. These games are streamed from real locations or live game studios and offer an elevated gambling experience akin to what you get in Vegas.

All the most popular card and table games have been adapted to live casinos. You can now try a round of blackjack, baccarat, poker, or roulette against a live dealer with a click of a button. Everything’s streamed to your device in crisp-clear video quality, and you can even talk to the dealer. It’s the ultimate gaming experience without leaving your home.

The only game missing from the live portfolio are slots, but the industry is working hard to find ways to adapt them. Many unique live casino games have bonus rounds similar to slots, and pachinko makes an appearance too.

How Does it Work in Live Dealer Casinos?

Pachinko is not exactly the easiest game to adapt to a live casino environment. Still, its popularity grows larger, and many developers have started adding it to their list of priorities. For now, we can only enjoy the game via bonus rounds. For example, Evolution Gaming’s hit Crazy Time includes 4 bonus rounds with one of them being a mini pachinko game.

The objective remains the same – getting the puck flying through a multitude of pegs. In the background, the game will show a real-life physical pachinko wall. The dealer will drop the puck and leave it to hit off the pegs, eventually landing in the multiplier spots on the bottom of the board. The multiplier it lands in is applied to your win, and if the puck lands on a double value, the multipliers are twice higher. You get another drop as well, potentially increasing your chances of even bigger wins.

The maximum multiplier you can hit is 10,000x your bet, and that’s a reward that bests the top pachinko parlors in Japan. If this sounds like a game for you, look around at casinos with the best deposit bonuses, as this is the best place to start.

What Does the Future Hold?

The pachinko machine bonus round is just a glimpse at the future of live dealer pachinko games. The industry is working hard to bring slots to the live casino milieu and we’re sure that the pachinko game will be adopted sooner or later.

It fits well as a bonus round in Crazy Time and will surely do great in a solo run. We’re eager to see how developers approach the Japanese pinball/slot machines and can’t wait to play them when they hit the market. Until then, a pachinko parlor is the way to go.

FAQ

Can I play pachinko machines for free?

You can’t play a pachinko machine in a parlor for free, but you can play it for free online. Most casinos will allow you to try the steel balls game so you can see how it works and how to play it. If you like it, you can try it with real money.

Is it safe to play pachinko online?

Yes, it is. If you choose a reputable casino, you have nothing to fear. Play an online pachinko machine for real money and you can win real money in return in a safe and secure way.

What do the balls do?

The metal pachinko balls are key to the action in the machines. You send them flying across the board and the ball enters a special hole that gives awards. In online variants and live casino games, the balls land in multiplier spots that can land you a nice jackpot.

Are modern pachinko machines easy to play?

Yes, they are. Pachinko is essentially a game of pinball where luck is the most important factor. You can try one for free online without the need to step into a pachinko parlor to see how the game works.