As much a Japanese cultural icon as sushi, onsens and anime, pachinko and slot parlours can be found in every city and almost every town. Because of their brightly lit, loud and (seemingly) fun ambience, they can often be mistaken by foreigners as a type of amusement centre. But pachinko parlours have a darker side and are a known haven for gambling addicts. Many of these parlours also have a bad reputation for harbouring the criminal activities of Japanese crime syndicate