Some things are the same wherever you go. Many other things most certainly aren’t. But racetrack gamblers are far and away the former.
Tokyo gamblers
Photographs from a small group of islands
Photographs from a small group of islands
Some things are the same wherever you go. Many other things most certainly aren’t. But racetrack gamblers are far and away the former.
Hans ter Horst says
I always wondered why, in Japan, betting on some sports is legal while betting on other sports and casinos are illegal. How good are those guys on predicting the outcome and can they really live off the money earned gambling on horses?
Lee says
Just weekend gamblers I presume. Betting, hopefully, only what they can afford. That said, I have read about so-called professional pachinko players, although I imagine winning regularly on the horses would be easier than doing the same with pachinko.
I know what you mean about gambling in Japan. A weird mix of contradictory laws. The horses, boat racing and keirin are fine, as is football, but yet baseball, sumo etc aren’t. Why? It makes no sense, does it? Or at least not to me anyway.
Lizzy says
Could it have something to do with national coverage of the sport? Or perhaps the way they view it? I know baseball has become very popular over there and sumo is (supposed to be) an honorable sport, but is football seen the same way? It could be that certain sports are viewed as more “sacred” in a way and they don’t want it to be sullied by being gambled on. Is it still technically illegal to Pachinko for cash? I saw a documentary where they had to trade in their balls for a certain coin and then take that around the block to trade it for money. I thought that was pretty ingenious… if a tad dishonest. 😉
Lee says
That’s a very good point. They we’ll be viewed as somehow different. Football is certainly the new kid on the block, so perhaps that’s why gambling is deemed ok.
Yes, the same silliness surrounding pachinko is still in operation. Laughable really.
Jamie_O says
Great slacks!!
Lee says
They are that. 1970s golfing slacks!
Jeffrey says
“Degenerate” gambling types look pretty much the same the world over.
Lee says
Yeah, one of life’s constants.