AI's rapid advancements are making waves globally, from generating images and videos to powering smart conversations, with its applications constantly expanding.
However, a recent post on Japanese X revealed that even "pachinko parlors" were using AI-generated virtual characters to replace real people for their "in-store promotional events." This "AI appearance" initiative, originally aimed at cutting costs and attracting players, unexpectedly exposed a long-standing "secret code culture" within the pachinko industry, sparking widespread discussion.
The original poster shared: "No one expected AI to take over the job of 'celebrity appearances at pachinko parlors.' Customers don't actually care which celebrity shows up; they just know that the machines will be set looser and pay out more easily that day. So, parlors switched to 'AI appearances' to advertise and save money."
This post ignited a heated debate, with many netizens realizing: "So, those 'So-and-so celebrity is coming to the store!' events were actually a hint that payouts would be better that day."
Another netizen explained: "Pachinko parlors would get scrutinized by the police if they openly advertised 'higher payout rates today.'
So, operators used 'celebrity appearances' as a secret code, letting players in on the unspoken message." This meant that the "idols," "broadcasters," or even "unknown influencers" on those posters were just "placeholder material." Now, they've simply replaced real people with AI characters, saving even on appearance fees.
▼ Pachinko parlors often used to invite unknown influencers for promotions.
This creative "AI bishojo replacing celebrity appearances" trend briefly gained traction from late 2024 to early 2025, but it quickly caught the government's eye.
Now, under the third edition of the "Advertising and Promotion Guidelines," which officially came into effect on July 1, 2025, operators are explicitly prohibited from using AI characters, VTubers, or acrylic standees for "fake in-store appearances" where no one is actually present.
After the news broke, many Japanese netizens commented, feeling like they'd finally solved a mystery: "I never understood why pachinko parlors always invited unknown people; turns out it was a payout code." "No wonder some idols complained no one showed up for their handshake events; the parlors didn't care about fans, just being able to put up those four words: 'Celebrity Appearance.'" "Parlors thought they could save money with AI, but the government beat them to the punch, LOL."
The pachinko industry has long used "celebrity appearances" as a veiled hint for better payouts. Now, even AI stand-ins are officially banned, making this quite the curious tale of AI utilization. XD
via： togetter