Prevalence of Pachinko-Pachislot Playing Disorder and the Characteristics of Individuals with the Disorder: Analysis of National Pachinko/Pachislot Survey Results

To understand the reality of gambling disorder caused by playing pachinko/pachislot, a national pachinko/pachislot survey was conducted. Based on the survey result, we examined the appearance ratio and the characteristics of individuals with a suspected pachinko-pachislot playing disorder. The analysis result indicated that approximately 0.4% of survey respondents were suspected to have the disorder. This appearance ratio was comparable to the prevalence of gambling disorder in the general population. Those who had a suspected disorder were likely to be divorced, and have no savings. Meanwhile, no distinctive characteristics were found in their gender, annual household income, or the highest educational attainment.