An amendment to Japan's rules on the certification and type testing of gaming machines took effect on 28 November 2025, the enforcement date set out in the supplementary provisions of Act No. 45 of 20251. The rules, formally the National Public Safety Commission Rule No. 4 of 1985, set out how gaming machines are certified and how their types are tested1.
The regulation is issued under Article 20, paragraphs 2, 3, 5 and 11 of the Act on Control and Improvement of Amusement Business (Act No. 122 of 1948)1. It covers certification of individual machines and type testing of machine models, and it sets the technical standards those machines must meet1.
"この規則は、風俗営業等の規制及び業務の適正化等に関する法律の一部を改正する法律（令和七年法律第四十五号）附則第一条第二号に掲げる規定の施行の日（令和七年十一月二十八日）から施行する"
Under the rules, an applicant for certification must submit a certification application to the prefectural public safety commission with jurisdiction over the location of the business office, filed through the local police station chief, in one original and one copy1. Certification is valid for three years from the date it is granted1. A type test application must be filed with five test machines attached, limited to machines no more than three months past their manufacture or import date1. Type certification is valid for three years from the date of the public notice1.
The rules also set out technical standards for machine types, including pachinko machines, reel-type machines, arrangeball machines and janshi ball machines1. The rules also state a formula, M x N x R x S is less than or equal to 101.
Certification can be revoked if it was obtained by false or other improper means, or if a certified machine is modified or otherwise changed in a way that affects its structure, material or performance1. A type certification can be revoked if machines of that type are found not to conform to technical standards or to lack uniformity1. A designated testing body must keep one machine for six years from the date type testing ends, and must keep records for ten years from the date of entry1.
What it means for players
The amendment changes the administrative rules under which gaming machines are certified and type tested in Japan. It does not, on its own, change the age limits, entry rules or stakes that apply to players in parlors. What it governs is which machines can legally be installed and operated, and the technical limits those machines must meet, such as firing speed and payout caps1. Players in Japan are most likely to notice the effect through the machines that appear in parlors over time, since only certified machines and certified types may be operated. The rules do not address player conduct, and no change to player-facing rules is set out in the text1.
What happens next
The amendment took effect on 28 November 20251. No further dates are set out in the text. Certification and type certification each run for three years from the relevant date, and applications continue to be filed with prefectural public safety commissions through local police stations1. For background on the wider legal picture, see Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions and Can I Gamble in Japan?.
Sources1 sources
- 遊技機の認定及び型式の検定等に関する規則, laws.e-gov.go.jp
