Banning of Aged Caring Facilities with Gambling in Hyogo, Japan

There are many unique caring facilities for elderlies in Japan that can provide entertainment for them. Caring service with slot machines and Mah-jong which is a popular betting card game are the great examples of the unique ones. However, In Hyogo prefecture, it is going to be decided that this kind of caring facilities will be disallowed. The decision will be made as it can lead elderlies to be addicted to gambling and it is not a healthy service for the aged ones.

In Japan, the number of population of elderly is rising. This is a social issue and with this rise in population, there are greater demands for facilities to look after them. The number of caring facilities for aged people are significantly increasing these days in Japan.  

There will be a regulation to ban elderly caring services which are sometimes also called as "amusement type" and "Casino type" facilities.  There are machines and facilities for slot machines and card games in this kind of caring facilities and elderlies spend most of the time playing them. The number of these caring facilities are increasing rapidly mostly based around Tokyo area.

The regulation will have a few main points. Not to use the pseudo currency is one of them. Caring facilities can not be decorated like casinos nor entertainment amusement business both interior and exterior.

In day service based in Kanagawa prefecture named Las Vegas Yokohama Tsuzuki, there were around 20 elderlies who were enjoying the games and laughing out loud in the space of 200 square meters.  

The service provider has said that  there will be 10 minutes of stretching time both in the morning and afternoon to enhance the fitness of the aged people. The rest of the day, elderlies play games with pseudo currency and compete who can earn the most.

News Source: Asahi Shimbun