Japan has a complex relationship with gambling that often puzzles visitors....

https://wiki-triod.win/index.php/How_Do_Pachinko_LCD_Machines_Work_Compared_to_Old_Ones%3F

Japan has a complex relationship with gambling that often puzzles visitors. While most forms are illegal, a few exceptions like pachinko parlours, horse racing, keirin cycling, and kyoutei boat racing are fully legal and popular