Japan's pachinko industry looks to seniors for growth

Long associated with semi-legal gambling in Japan, the shrinking pachinko industry may get a new lease of life, thanks to a surprising demographic: old people.

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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 parlours was 14.6 trillion yen (S$134 billion) in 2022, less than half the level from around two decades ago.

"The industry is in decline, and we are trying to think of ways to revive the business," said Mr Hiroto Kamei, sales director of pachinko machine maker Toyomaru Sangyo.

"We are constantly adjusting to the demands of the elderly." Playing the vertical pinball machines can be good for preventing dementia, according to neuroscientist Kikunori Shinohara, a professor at the Suwa Tokyo University of Science. "I am getting old myself, but doing activities I like that have benefits are much better than doing tedious therapy," he said.