This study examines the emergence of poker as a competitive mind sport in Japan, a country where strict anti-gambling laws (Penal Code Article 185) prohibit cash wagering. Drawing on secondary materials—including newspaper and magazine reports, and online media—as well as primary data from Poker Guild Corporation and interviews with the Kamiichi Town Planning Division, the research applies established theoretical frameworks (Getz & Page’s event tourism, Putnam’s social capital, Reith’s techno-economic systems) to analyze the distinctive evolution of Japanese poker culture. Findings reveal that tournament‐focused venue operations and the innovative Poker Web Coin system have fostered a nationwide network of skill‐based competition without direct cash transactions. The paper documents how tournament satellites, local government collaborations (e.g., Kamiichi Town’s “KAMI★1 POKER GP” which increased hometown tax donations by 198.2% and attracted participants from 25 prefectures), and corporate partnerships (Sammy’s NIPPON SERIES tour) have generated “bridging social capital” and stimulated regional revitalization. Corporate adoption of poker training for risk management and decision‐making illustrates cross‐sector skill transfer, while hybrid online–live tournament formats demonstrate technological innovation consistent with virtual‐event theory. Despite these advances, gray-zone practices—such as ring games using web coins—highlight the need for regulatory clarification and harm-reduction measures guided by pathways models of problem gambling. The study concludes that Japan’s poker model exemplifies “regulatory connection,” whereby legal constraints spur creative cultural innovation, transforming poker from illicit gambling into an intellectual, socially integrative sport. The 2027 IR openings present further opportunities to embed competitive poker within official sports and tourism strategies, offering a replicable model for other jurisdictions navigating gambling regulation and cultural development.
Masatoshi Minowa (Wed,) studied this question.