In the race courses for gambling in Japan, you will find various things to enjoy other than betting on races. Most racing organizers focus on not only attracting gambling fans but also making racing facilities more comfortable for mothers, kids, and students. Their initiatives come from the fact that the organizers holding races are not private companies but local municipalities authorized by the ministry in charge of gambling. Some of the profit from racing goes to annual revenue. So, the municipalities do not just center on making races profitable, but they are also looking for ways to improve the welfare of locals in their neighborhoods.
For instance, racing organizers invest in entertainment facilities so that mothers and children accompanying fathers will find something exciting other than races while fathers focus on races. Those facilities help male fans get permission to go to racecourses from their wives and even be joined by their family members.
Some boat racing courses have playing facilities, “Mooovi,” designed for kids. Several types of playing instruments are set up on the playgrounds, mostly indoors. The website says Moovi is expected to “Contribute to local families to make their bonds tighter.”
The Karatsu boat racecourse in Saga Prefecture fully renovated its stands in 2021. They accommodate a variety of facilities for locals of a broader range of ages. They comprise a library, a wall for bouldering, a room for playing musical instruments, a cafe with a library, and a kitchen for cooking practice. It is mainly intended to provide local people with opportunities for a healthier and more cultural life, hopefully making them more familiar with motorboat races.
Tamano Keirin in Okayama prefecture has a hotel next to its race course. The hotel “HOTEL 10” opened when the stand was renovated in 2020. Some rooms have terraces from which you can command not only the entire racecourse but also the scenic Setonaikai ocean!