Japan began installing a new type of pachislot machine, known by the nickname Sumasuro, on 21 November 2022, with three of the four titles originally scheduled to debut operating from that day1. The formal name is Smart Pachislot, though the abbreviation Sumasuro is widely used1.
The change that allowed the machines was announced on 1 October 2021, when reservations opened for submitting medal-less machines to testing by the industry body Hotsukyo1. Sumasuro machines manage medal counts and credits through a dedicated card reader unit and the machine itself, so play requires no medals, which the source describes as the format's main feature1. Each machine is given its own individual ID and an internet connection is required for authentication1. Play data is sent as needed to the Game Machine Information Center run by the Japan Amusement Machine Manufacturers Association, which monitors whether gambling stimulation is becoming excessive and works on measures against cheating known as goto1.
The format's rules differ from earlier machines. As of 2025 it is treated under internal rules in the same way as machines from version 6.5 onward, but the upper limit on the number of games in a favorable zone has been removed, while the maximum payout within a zone stays at a difference of 2,400 medals1. Sumasuro also carries a complete function, equivalent to a forced stop, which triggers at a maximum payout of 19,000 medals; the machine cannot be played again until the operator switches it off and changes the setting1. Medals stored on the machine are capped at 16,383, with anything above that moved to an IC card1.
The machines have no internal hopper, no medal slot or coin selector, and the lower tray is treated as a small storage area, so the cabinet design differs from earlier models1. The source notes criticism that high cabinet prices and the mandatory dedicated unit squeeze pachinko parlor finances, and that a number of parlors have closed or quit the business after Sumasuro was introduced1. A global semiconductor shortage has also limited supply, with some arguing this only benefits large chains with financial strength1. The source states that the April 2023 release of L Fist of the North Star by Samy cemented Sumasuro's popularity, after which manufacturers released models one after another1.
What it means for players
For anyone playing pachislot in Japan, Sumasuro removes the physical handling of medals: cash or an IC card goes into the dedicated unit, credits transfer to the machine, and at the end of play a count button moves credits back to the unit, which issues an IC card1. Because the machines need an internet connection and individual authentication, unit faults or communication failures can stop play from starting, a type of problem that did not exist with medal machines1. The removal of the favorable-zone game limit has, according to the source, led to more machines with payout triggers after the favorable zone is cut, faster medal consumption than version 5, 6.5 and 6.6 machines, and stronger one-shot payouts, meaning wider swings that can produce large gains but also very large losses similar to the version 4 era1. The 2,400-medal zone cap and the 19,000-medal complete function remain in place1. Sumasuro sits alongside Smart Pachinko, a ball-less pachinko format introduced nationwide from April 20231.
What happens next
No further dated steps are given. The source records that as of 2025 Sumasuro is treated under internal rules like machines from version 6.5 onward, with the favorable-zone game limit removed1.
Sources1 sources
- スマスロ - Wikipedia, ja.wikipedia.org
